


Celestial Reign: Baying for the Moon

by StarvingLunatic



Series: Celestial Reign [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Best Friends, Cultural Differences, Developing Friendships, Drama, F/F, Family, Family Drama, Fantasy, Feels, Female Character of Color, Freedom, Friendship, Hatred, Intrigue, Kings & Queens, Leadership, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Character of Color, Lesbian Sex, Magic, Magic-Users, Magical Pregnancy, Magical Tattoos, Marriage, Married Couple, Novel, Original Character(s), Original Mythology, Politics, Post-War, Reluctant Hero, Revenge, Romance, Royalty, Same-Sex Marriage, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Team as Family, War, Wordcount: Over 150.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:00:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 189,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29232666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarvingLunatic/pseuds/StarvingLunatic
Summary: Sequel to Celestial Reign: Tears of the Sun. Follow Xol and Ileana as they flee their home and move to the south into a country that needs help, which they give. They then face royal intrigue, war, and the difficult task of unifying humans and daijinn into one nation. F/FOriginally Published: 01-29-12 and Completed: 09-23-12
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Series: Celestial Reign [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144517
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Prologue: The Story of the Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Welcome to another original story by this lunatic. The story is mine and the characters are mine. Please do not use them without my permission.
> 
> General warning: This story involves a sexual relationship between two women. If you don't like it … I honestly have no clue why you would be looking at my stories in the first place. You might have noticed the running theme in my stories is a sexual relationship between two women. Anyway, if you don't like it, keep on walking.
> 
> A/N: This is a sequel to Celestial Reign: Tears of the Sun. You probably need to read that to know what is going on in this story.
> 
> Special thanks to my beta reader: Rleef, who I forgot to give a shout-out to in the last couple of stories, but has been betaing for me for the past few stories. Sorry for not mentioning the awesomeness that is Rleef.

[Xol](https://www.deviantart.com/starvinglunatic/art/Celestial-Reign-Xol-299022022) and [lleana](https://www.deviantart.com/starvinglunatic/art/Celestial-Reign-Ileana-293418253) by [me](https://www.deviantart.com/starvinglunatic).

Celestial Reign: Baying for the Moon

Prologue: The Story of the Fall

The gods' behavior could never be understood by mortals, even those that tell their stories. Xol, the sun goddess, and Zonder, the red star, were never friends. They were never known to get along, but they would often compete with each other. As gods, their powers were infinite and therefore a winner between the two could almost never be determined. Still, they persisted and fought with each other on many occasion, stopping only when bored with the exercise. It was quite possible that their rivalry was all in good fun and only to relieve boredom … until they created their races.

Xol and Zonder could now compete and determine a true winner using their creations. As gods, their nature could never truly be understood by those creations, but they were used by their gods. They would compete to see whose creation could make the best foods, sing the best songs, brew the best beverages, and many other such contests. Often, they employed other gods as judges and then bestowed gifts and blessings on the winning race. Zonder even allowed Xin, the moon, to judge, even though he was the eternal lover of Xol.

Xin was known as the harsher judge amongst the gods, even though he had helped create daijinn with his and Xol's blood. Xin was wise, the light throughout the dark, and would never give his blessing easily. Whenever he did offer up a gift to the races of the world, it always seemed mundane and easily overlooked by the others, but made life infinitely simpler for the creations of the world. Xol and Zonder always saved the Moon's judgment for the toughest contests, like when they decided to see whose creation was the kindest.

Xol and Zonder challenged each other, claiming their respective creations were kinder than the other. They decided that they would use themselves as proof and become strangers to their creations. They set themselves in disguises, appearing to be mortal and members of their respective beings. They would be weary travelers and Xin would decide who was treated the best by their own beings. Xin would award the winner a great blessing.

The two gods came down from the sky and separated quickly. Xol went to a daijinn village while Zonder went to a human town. Xol was welcomed into the hamlet the moment that she set down and explained that she was passing through, having to go over the mountains to return to her own home. The daijinn were warm and friendly, having no trouble with offering lodging immediately to the traveler. She was given food and drink that seemed endless while regaling her hosts with fine stories of her travels as a small group played music to accompany her. Eager ears listened to her tales and then villagers told her their own fables. They offered maps, told her the best routes to travel to help her with her journey, and even whatever supplies she might need to help her. She was given the best furs to rest on and by the end of the night, the goddess was certain that she was the victor of their little contest.

Zonder possessed the same thoughts by the end of the night. He had also been welcomed in the human town with bright smiles and warmth. He informed those who had greeted him that he was on his way to the sea. He, too, was given lodgings for the night. Grins, handshakes, and hugs flowed as much as the hot cider he was given. He was fed the best meat and offered fine tobacco. He danced with many women and laughed with many more. He was placed on a soft straw mattress to rest his tired body. They even gave him supplies, among them new boots, to help him on his way.

The next day, the gods returned to the heavens only for Xin to rule the contest a draw. Outraged, both gods demanded reasons for such a decree. Xin, with great patience and intelligence, explained that both gods were treated well based on the cultures that they had visited. Of course, the ruling left the two competitors furious in ways that only gods could be.

Zonder gathered the energy of the heavens and was prepared to do battle with Xin over the decision. Xol stood in his way, burning hot for a battle with her rival, if only to settle the matter of their draw. She made sure to warn the Red Star that she would not hold back should he attack her eternal love. Xin defused the whole tiresome situation by offering a new competition. The moon god suggested the pair return to the land of mortals in new disguises.

The terms of Xin's contest were simple, but quite different from what the two immortals were accustomed to. Xin decided that the way to tell who was the kindest was not based on the way that they treat their own, but the way that they treat their enemies. Humans and daijinn were still at war with each other, as they had been since the creation of the humans, who were created last in the line of races. So, the moon god told his beloved that she would disguise herself as a human and visit the daijinn again while Zonder would don the guise of a daijinn and visit the humans again. Xin then promised to bestow twice the blessings on the winning side.

The rivals reluctantly agreed to the rules and donned their disguises. Xol went to the daijinn in the form of a tired, hunched over old woman and Zonder became an injured, handicapped daijinn. They made sure their faces were worn and filthy, showing that they had traveled great distances. They clothing became mere rags and their manners in general seemed crippled by life. They were both certain that their appearances were pathetic enough to gain sympathy from even the harshest critic, but they both proven wrong. They both found themselves treated equally again.

Neither of them were welcomed into the town or village and they were spoken to with great disdain and hatred, as if they were the foulest creatures on Earth. Stones and other missiles were hailed at them from the darkness behind the protective walls of the places. It was not until they had fallen and shown injury that they even approached.

The human, elderly Xol was dragged in like felled prey while the already-injured daijinn Zonder was quickly chained like a dog. They were both locked away and given nothing to eat or drink. There were no stories or dances or warm beds that night. There were only talks of selling the daijinn to slavery and slaughtering the old woman because there were no good humans. By the time the sunset, a decision had been made.

It was doubtful that the composed Xin had even been as infuriated as he was by the end of the wager. Descending from the heavens, but remaining in the sky, too disgusted to even touch soil, the moon god burned like white fire. The moon itself was devoured by the night as he let out a thundering edict upon the humans and daijinn for their abominable behavior. All were to be punished for being unable to show kindness to those in need despite their race relations.

It was ordained that since the daijinn could not share the land given to them with their neighbors then they would not have any land. From that day forth, they were not allowed to put down roots in any soil. They would wander the globe as that "old woman" had and they would know "her suffering." Their lives would continue on that way until they could learn to share with their enemy, especially an enemy who was not an enemy.

Humans would now quarrel amongst each other and wage war with each other just as they did with their enemies. They would injure each other just as they had injured that "daijinn." They would look to conquer each other as they did their enemies. They would kill each other as they did their enemies until they could learn to embrace their enemies, especially those that were not truly their enemies.

Xol and Zonder agreed with the punishments, feeling humiliated that their creations had treated them so poorly. They had even urged Xin to go further. He took away other blessings that he had given both daijinn and humans, but found the punishment to be too great. Without Xin's gifts, neither race could communicate, science vanished, medicine was nonexistent, records were not kept, justice and law were forgotten, and the simplest tasks were suddenly impossible. He restored his previous blessings quickly, but the punishments remained and he vowed never to bless another until they could love their enemy.

Xol and Zonder were in agreement with the decision, but it was not the end of their competing. They would even continue to use Xin as a judge. Again, the gods' behavior could not be comprehended by mortals.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: see a typical day for Xol, Ileana, and their close-knit group and then see an atypical end.


	2. Part I  1: The quiet before …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just in case you missed it the first time, this is a sequel to Tears of the Sun. You really need to read that for this to make sense. This picks up right where that story left off.

Part I

1: The quiet before …

Light shimmered through the curtains, breaking up the darkness of the room and the quiet of the room was interrupted shortly after by small mewling noises. A lump buried underneath a pile of heavy, colorful blankets began moving. Wiggling upwards toward the head of the immense bed, a mass of wild red and black hair popped up. Two foxlike ears twitched, cropping up from the gravity-defying mane. A cream-colored, female face was revealed as a long yawn escaped her.

"Morning already?" she complained through the yawn. She was one of the very few of her kind that would be awake in the light of dawn. But, she tended to adjust her schedule much easier depending on where she was.

She smacked her lips together while pushing herself up on her muscular, thick arms. She rolled her shoulders, working out some of the stiffness there. Just as she was about to roll out of bed, arms reached out and stopped her.

"Xol, stay," a whispered plea came from her bedmate.

Xol turned over to pay her mate proper attention. She smiled immediately when she took in the sight of her lover. She doubted that there was a more beautiful image than that of Princess Ileana Angelika Fleurizan with her rich, chocolate skin on display and her shiny ebony hair falling halfway over her face as she tried to remain asleep. She was essentially the secret ruler of the country of Fleuriza and soon her hectic day would start, but Xol's day should be starting already.

"Should train," Xol muttered, her voice gravelly from sleep. She needed to make sure that she stayed fit and powerful to protect her mate as well as their close friends.

"No, stay, beloved. When you leave, it gets cold," Ileana complained in a whisper. Her eyes were still closed and her arms tightened around her small lover.

Xol smiled and settled back down in the bed. She could not say no to the taller woman, no matter what. She moved closer to Ileana and wrapped her arms around the princess, reveling in their nude forms pressing together. Xol purred as gentle fingers ran up and down her back. She returned the favor by caressing Ileana's soft sides. The action earned her a tender kiss.

"May I rest my head on your shoulder, beloved?" Ileana requested in a low tone.

"You never need ask," Xol replied.

Ileana smiled as she put her head on Xol's shoulder. It always started with a head on the shoulder and quickly turned to Ileana half-lying on Xol; that morning was no different. Xol just kept her arms around her mate, inhaling the wonderful scent of the princess' hair. The aroma was enough to carry her off to sleep again.

-8-8-8-8-

Light now poured into the large bedroom, letting Ileana know that it was time to rise. She was loath to leave the warm, purring body beneath her. The early morning was her favorite time of day just for this reason. She was certain that she could live the life of a pauper and still be content if she could wake up next to Xol. The sight of her beloved always eased her soul. The sound of Xol's drowsy mewling were enough to relax her no matter the circumstances.

"My most precious flower," Ileana whispered before pressing light kisses along Xol's pale jawline. The soft mews from Xol became louder with each kiss.

"This is the best way to wake up," Xol muttered as she pulled her mate closer to her.

"I agree, which is why you should always stay in bed with me until it is a decent time to rise. I wish the whole day was like this."

"Too bad you have responsibilities," Xol said quite seriously.

"It is a shame." Ileana sighed and rested her chin on Xol's shoulder. Xol tilted her head so that they could look each other in the eye. A gentle smile curled onto Ileana's full, inviting lips. "I would leave this all behind for you, you know that?"

"I'd never ask such a thing of you. Your brother needs you and your country needs you. I understand that. I understand it a lot more than I did before," Xol replied while tracing gentle circles on Ileana's shoulder.

"Do you miss your tribe? Being their leader? Looking out for them?" Ileana asked curiously. Xol had been exiled from the tribe she led because she was mated to Ileana. Apparently, daijinn did not appreciate any of their kind being with a human.

Xol was silent for a long moment. "In some ways, I do, but just as you, I would and did leave it all behind. You have roots here. I didn't have that, so it was even easier for me to do. Besides, I knew from the very second I took that role that the moment I saw you again, I'd lose it all because I'd want you. I couldn't have both and there was no contest as to what I would choose."

Ileana's smile widened. "You certainly know how to make a girl feel loved. She walks away from ruling an entire tribe and says it was not even a choice." She pushed herself up slightly and gave her beloved a kiss on the lips.

"It wasn't," Xol insisted.

"I'm sure it was not. They did not seem very fond of you," the princess recalled with a slight frown. It upsetting to think that people her love had helped disliked Xol for whatever reason.

"They weren't. Most of them resented me and the way I led the tribe. Those that didn't resent me for that hated me because I was so small and yet the most powerful of them. And, of course, there were those that hated me for the fact that they knew that I loved you more than life itself. They knew I would destroy them all if I needed to protect you."

Ileana nodded. "That is their fault for the way they chose their leaders," she stated since Xol's tribe had chosen their chiefs based on who won a fight. "Do you worry about them?"

"I do. I know it's been a year and I should just put them out of my mind, as Yu, Kwen, and Mei keep insisting, but it's hard. I was their leader and I feel like I did a good job of it. I'm not sure if anyone else could do the job that I did. I'm not sure anyone even wants to do it the way that I did it."

Ileana nodded again. "I know how you feel, as you well know. Thank you for standing by me, not just then, but even now."

"I have no choice but to stand by you. You are my sun, my moon, my goddess. I would do anything for you, Ileana." It was Xol's turn to initiate a kiss, giving the princess a gentle peck on the mouth.

"Would you? Then will you bathe with me this morning?" Ileana inquired with a coy smile and a flirtatious batting of her eyelashes. More often than not, they did not have a morning bath together because Xol would be going through her training regiment, so Ileana would take advantage of their time together.

Xol laughed. "Why don't you ask me to do something hard? Trust me, it's not a burden to sit with you in hot water and clean every inch of your beautiful body."

"Then we should get to that. It is going to be a long day and I want to stretch out my morning with you for as long as possible."

Xol nodded in agreement and smiled because of the desire. They exchanged several slow, long kisses before finally making their way out of bed. Ileana quickly reached for her robe to protect her from the cold, but Xol did not seem to feel the breeze and stood there in all of her naked glory. Her long, slender, feline-like tail even swayed in a relaxed behind her. Ileana had to stare as her much shorter lover yawned and stretched, showing off her stocky form and all of her cut muscles. Her "goddess marks," as Xol's clansmen called her tattoo, was on all full display, too.

The black tribal lines that showed the daijinn sun goddess blessed Xol ran up and down the right side of her torso. It had spread over her back and chest and was now making a path down her leg. They often wondered if it would then go to the left side of her body when there was no space left on the right. Ileana's own tattoo, her "mate marks" as Xol's tribesmen dubbed it, was continuing to grow little by little across her back.

"Let's go before you catch cold parading around in your birthday suit," Ileana teased.

Xol smiled and rushed over to her mate, who led the small daijinn into the adjacent bathroom. There was already hot water in it with bubbles, softeners, and other indulgences, as there was every morning. Miss Olga, the princess' most loyal and trusted servant, always made sure the little things were taken care of for Ileana.

Xol stepped into the water in the ground level bathtub while Ileana took off her robe. The daijinn reached out to help her mate into the tub. They settled with Ileana sitting on one of the steps and Xol in front of her. For a few minutes, they just sat there and appreciated being close to each other. They did not have much time to lounge, though.

"You want me to wash your hair now or wait until tonight?" Ileana asked, scratching her lover's pointed ear.

Xol purred in a low tone. "You can do it now. I know you like doing it and I like your fingers in my hair."

Ileana smiled and proceeded to wash her lover's mixed colored mane, which drew out plenty more purrs. Xol returned the favor and then they washed each other's bodies. One of the best things about bathing together, as far as Xol was concerned, was that if left them smelling alike. With the same scents clinging to them, it was like they were together all day, even if by some wild circumstance they had to part ways.

With that washing done, they exited the bath and Xol dressed in rather plain clothing, as she did everyday; a pair of navy colored slacks and white shirt. Ileana's outfits were much more complicated, but Xol typically helped as did Miss Olga. Ileana dressed in Fleurizan tradition with long gown, a corset underneath, and a short vest across chest. The vest she always chose to wear open because the rest of clothing was tied so tightly. Usually, Xol would make sure the ties were loose, but Miss Olga often tied everything as if she were trying to break the laces. She always insisted that Ileana look like a proper young woman, even if she was not one; by her actions, she certainly was not one.

Once Ileana was dressed, she went to her office to take care of the business of the country. Xol made it a point to stay close to her mate. They took breakfast while Ileana went over the notes of the day. Before they ate breakfast, Xol always inspecting everything carefully, especially sniffing all the things served to them.

"Is it all right?" Ileana asked, referring to their meals.

"Smells fine. I'm going to taste it, though," Xol replied and she took nibbles of each piece of food on Ileana's tray.

Part of their routine involved Xol inspecting Ileana's food; she also had one of her clansmen do the same for Viktor, Ileana's little brother and acting king. It was necessary as far as Xol was concerned because there had been no less than two attempts on her mate's life in the year that they had been reunited, and that did not count the incident with Garrick and his attempted coup. Both attempts had involved trying to poison the princess.

Some jealous nobles led the first assassination attempt. Ileana easily tracked them down after Xol saved her from biting into a very deadly supper. The nobles had taken advantage of the fact that human servants were now used in the castle's kitchens since Xol had freed all of the daijinn slaves. The humans were easily bribed and had no trouble putting toxins into her mate's meal. Little did they know that Xol and her very small band of daijinn could smell the poison before the food hit the table. Xol had been determined to slaughter the whole kitchen staff, but Ileana stopped her, knowing her beloved would regret such a wrathful decision eventually. Ileana and Viktor handled finding and punishing the conspirators.

The second attempt on Ileana's life had been much less sophisticated than the first. An assassin had entered the palace and hunted the princess. When he came upon her, he also came upon her beloved. Xol had cut his arm off with her bare, although burning, hand right after he drew a dagger. Adding more injury to his injury, Ileana had one of her short swords to his throat. Xol now never left her mate's side, just in case some fool tried for her life again.

"Do you want me to feed you while you work?" Xol asked once she was done with her check.

"You want to feed me, my little iris?" Ileana countered with a smirk.

"It would give me something to do," Xol answered with a happy smile. Her tail swayed slowly, which showed that it definitely would please her to feed her lover. Ileana was the only person that Xol was ever happy to be subservient with.

Ileana did not object and focused on her paperwork while Xol put a piece of sweet fruit to her lips. She took it into her mouth while reading through a financial statement. Sighing, she shook her head and began jotting down problems and possible solutions. Xol glanced down at the work, but did not say anything about it since she could not make sense of the documents anyway.

"This is just getting worse and worse," Ileana muttered before taking another bite of food.

"What's wrong?" Xol inquired with concern.

"The state's revenue. So many people are starting to cheat on paying taxes and they are bleeding the treasury dry. I have to get Viktor to do something."

"Will that do any good?"

Ileana only sighed; they both knew the answer to that. No matter the decree, Viktor could not enforce any law that he passed and neither royal sibling could do anything about that. While people were not quite as fast to dismiss Viktor as they were Ileana, they still did not respect him enough to follow anything that he tried to initiate. Viktor was only just a boy and most did not think that he knew what he was doing, anyway. They thought their point was proven because he took most of his advice from his sister and her servant. So, they did not find themselves inclined to obey his orders. One of the best examples of that was his attempt to outlaw slavery.

Viktor had tried to follow Xol's example and took it a step further. Where Xol had freed all of the daijinn slaves in the palace, Viktor had declared slavery in general to be illegal. It was a good try, but there was no way for him to enforce it and no citizen of Fleuriza followed it. Daijinn were still in chains, as well as some unfortunate humans. None of the royal guards that patrolled the city had arrested anyone and Viktor certainly could not wander the streets of the city to arrest anyone. He had work to do, despite his young age and decreasing desire to do said work.

"This is a mess. I am not sure where to begin correcting this without telling Viktor that it is time that he throw people in the dungeon," Ileana huffed, glaring down at the offensive documents.

"He wouldn't do that over taxes. He's too kindhearted," Xol pointed out.

"I know, I know. The country is going to go bankrupt if this continues. At this point, I am almost willing to let one of the more ambitious nobles just have the country. I would like to see a lord get us out of this mess," Ileana declared, slapping at the papers on her desk. She then felt a piece of cold melon at her lips and ate it.

"Calm down, my mate. You're doing a good job, especially with what you have to work with. Now, eat to keep your strength up and carry on. I'm here for you."

Ileana smiled at that sentence and did as she was told. The morning was spent quietly with Ileana working while Xol shadowboxed once breakfast was done. Every now and then a frustrated or disappointed sigh escaped the raven-haired princess, which made Xol's ears twitch. Tea and cake was served mid-morning, which Ileana had to all but beg Xol to drink. Over the years, Xol had found that she had not acquired a taste for the tea and cake that nobles of Fleuriza dined on as snacks. She had only recently screwed up enough courage to admit that she was not a fan of what was one of her mate's favorite foods.

"I still cannot believe you dislike the cake. I mean, the tea it took me some time to adjust to, but the cake?" Ileana sighed.

"I just … I don't know. It doesn't taste right to me. It's bitter," Xol tried to explain.

"It is all right, dearest rose. At least you will sit with me. I have appreciated that small gesture since childhood," Ileana replied with a smile. "It is hard to believe that this is a habit we have been able to keep for so many years."

Xol nodded. "I'm glad."

"I am also. It is also hard to believe that we have lived to adulthood. I am actually twenty one," Ileana chuckled. "I always imagined that Miss Olga would devour me bit by bit before I was ten."

Xol laughed. "I'm sure there are times she wanted to."

"I am sure there are times she still wants to. When she was training me with my machetes, I had always thought that it was front for her to slay me during a training event and call it an accident."

"I'm still surprised she's the one that taught you to fight. I never imagined her as a fighter."

Ileana nodded. "There are many layers to that woman we never saw as children. As it turns out, anyone who spends that amount of time around a member of the royal family must be a master of combat. That was actually rather good luck for me."

Xol did not dispute that and before she could say anything else, the door opened to reveal the woman that they were speaking on. Miss Olga was dressed as she always was, wearing her governess uniform, even though she was much more than that now. She had on a flowing dark blue dress to her ankles with a matching vest over a white shirt. The vest held the Fleurizan family crest. Her face was still as severe as both young women remembered. It was rare for the pale woman to smile and her ice blue eyes were always sharp behind her glasses. Her hair remained pulled into the tightest possible bun and her long nose added to the edgy look of the woman. She was carrying a lunch tray.

"Is it lunch already?" Ileana wondered aloud and she looked up at the clock. "We must have started on the tea late."

"You didn't notice it was cold?" Xol asked incredulously.

"No, I had not," Ileana admitted and then she turned her attention to her most loyal servant. "Miss Olga, I am surprised that you brought lunch. Usually, you can convince Mei to do it as she would love nothing more than an excuse to bother me and my precious iris."

Miss Olga shook her head as she placed the tray down. "She seems to be preoccupied with a book that you gave her."

Ileana smiled. "I had a feeling that would work. She and Kwen are such children when they have nothing to do."

"That's what I've been saying since I met them!" Xol laughed. Ileana had to smile more because she remembered there was a time when her beloved would not even talk in front of Miss Olga and now she was making almost loud declarations and laughing. It was such a vast improvement.

"Well, Mei is thankfully occupied. Fry has been keeping Kwen busy, so things have been quiet for the day. I also came because I need you to look at these documents and convince your brother to sign them," Miss Olga commented as she placed a folder on Ileana's desk.

"Execution warrants?" Ileana guessed. Those were the only items that her brother would almost never touch and she could not blame him. She had actually forged his signature on several of them to spare him. As a woman, Ileana had no right to govern, even if she was King Vladimir's oldest child. Her brother did not have the stomach for many matters of government so far and she was willing to concede that he might never. Yes, he was not even a teenage yet, but his personality was probably not going to change much as he got older. She was certain that his current experience would only sour his attitude toward governing when he was a grown man.

"Some property seizures also," Miss Olga replied.

"I can handle it."

"You will speak to him, though, right? He has to get used to this. Like it or not, he is the king's heir. Someday, he will have to carry out these orders without your hand guiding him," Miss Olga pointed out.

"I think when the time comes, Viktor will have his own style of rule. Some of those warrants were not meant for signing, so I am glad that he is not so ready to put someone to death. Father had many men sitting in the dungeons for little to no reason," Ileana argued.

"I am sure there was some reason, highness. Crossing the King is reason enough. His law must be obeyed and his word is law," Miss Olga reminded the princess.

Ileana nodded, knowing the words served as a warning that Miss Olga gave her almost daily. She understood and made sure it was always at the forefront of her mind. She had always had a problem with her father's word being law, but it was probably just her rebellious nature. She was not sure, but she was aware that by now almost every breath she took was disobeying her father's orders.

"I shall see you both at dinner then," Miss Olga said and she bowed to both of them before taking her leave.

The ladies nodded before going back to their own business and having their lunch. After lunch they exited the office, both holding stacks of the princess' work and relocated to the throne room. Ileana's little brother and acting king, Viktor, was slumped over on the throne, looking like a child playing dress up. The crown was still too large for his head, even with his full, lush raven hair, and it covered his eyes as he worked, not to mention it pushed his bangs into his face. He hated wearing it, but it was part of the monarch uniform.

Ileana and Xol eased in next to him with servants rushing over to get chairs for both women. Viktor rarely raised his voice, but he would scream and bark at anyone who dared disrespect his sister in his presence or his sister's "best friend." While the servants, advisers, and most people in the palace disliked Ileana and seemed to think Viktor was a weak king, they still did not want to anger King Vladimir's favorite child. There was always a feeling that the true king would rise from his sick bed and rain down Hell on anyone that hurt Viktor, be it physically, emotionally, or mentally.

The acting king's brown eyes were glued to a document, scanning it hard before giving up. "Sister, I do not understand this one," Viktor said, passing his sister a document.

"Looks like a trade agreement," Ileana replied as she studied it. Her brother was good with handling social issues, but could not make heads or tails of anything that involved money, business, or complicated legal matters. She could not blame him; he was only thirteen.

"You should have gotten it then," Viktor frowned slightly. It an adorable look of indignation that he got whenever he received misunderstood documents by accident. Like most people, Viktor did not enjoy recognizing the limits of his intelligence, but unlike most, he would easily admit to not understanding something.

"Sometimes, Miss Olga misses things as she is dividing the workload. She might have had Yu do this, also. He helps her with filing and his system is different from hers," Ileana explained.

Viktor nodded and the siblings worked in silence. Xol stood back, as if there was a fence between her and the pair. It was like that when they were working. Xol did not seem to want any part of governing Fleuriza, even though Ileana had tried early on to get her opinion on things. Xol just could not find it in her to care about the affairs of a country that called her and her kind dogs, used them as slaves and pets, and considered them to be lower than animals.

There were snacks in the late afternoon and dinner was served shortly after that. It was during the evening meal when their whole group got together. Ileana and Xol sat next to each other while Viktor sat at the head of the table. Kwen sat next to Xol. Miss Olga sat across from the princess and Fry, the Elder of Xol's tiny clan, sat next to her. Mei and Yu were next to them.

Conversation flowed from the group as they ate and shared bits of their day. It was during these times that Ileana saw glimpses of her "Rose." Xol was often quiet, observing discussions more than taking part of them. Everyone else was always chatty, especially Mei. She was even more so that night since Ileana had given her a book.

"I never realized how different religions are between humans and daijinn, especially here!" Mei declared with a broad grin. Her small ears, hidden underneath masses of flowing chocolate and honey colored hair, shifted because of her excitement and her fluffy mocha tail swayed, smacking into Yu, who did not seem to mind. Her champagne-colored eyes seemed to bubble like the liquid they were colored after.

"More nonsense?" Kwen grumbled with the typical hard frown on his tan face. He was massive still, and seemed even more so sitting next to the very short Xol. He recently got his wild black and blond mane cut, so he could spike it just the way he liked it, which made it hard to see his large black ears.

"I've been reading religious tales thanks to our chief's mate," Mei beamed, smiling at Ileana. "Thank you so much for sharing. I didn't know that you believed in a different god altogether than the one daijinn always assumed you did."

Ileana shook her head. "Not me personally. I have never been very religious." It was hard to believe in a god that deemed her less than any man alive, even the vilest sort, for the simple fact that she was a woman and designated her lover less than an animal and only good for slavery just for being a daijinn. There were so many other things about the Fleurizan god that bothered her that she had never even been able to pray to him, even as a child.

"Well, in general," Mei said and she would have gone on about the subject, if only Yu had not cut in.

"How goes your job, chief?" Yu asked with interest in his orange eyes and he was speaking to Ileana. Yu had grown somewhat wider over the year because the food in the palace was much richer and more plentiful than he had ever had. Even when Xol had led their tribe, they did not eat so well and that had been their tribe's golden age as far he was concerned. "I wish we could help out more, chief," he added with a sincere smile.

The princess had learned that under dajinn rules, she was addressed by the same title as Xol because she was Xol's mate. The tiny tribe viewed her just as they viewed Xol, even though she was human. She was their chief and they were her tribe, hers and Xol's tribe.

"Difficult and tiring as usual. It does not help that the King fell asleep on me," Ileana remarked, teasing her brother.

"I was not sleeping! I was merely resting my eyes!" he objected with a playful smile.

The group laughed. They stayed at the table long after the dinner was cleared. Before long, it was time to retire for the night. They broke apart once they made it to their deserted wing of the palace. Ileana and Xol returned to the princess' room where they bathed again; Xol got detailed attention because she worked out often through out the day to relieve boredom and to be prepared defend her mate. Once they were clean, Ileana put on her nightgown and had to force Xol into one.

"Why do I hafta wear this?" Xol pouted as she shoved the sleeves up to the long gown.

"Because I don't want you to get cold through out the night and possibly get sick," Ileana explained for the millionth time.

"But, we get right under the covers. How could I get cold?" Xol continued to pout. They slept under piles of blankets to protect against the chill.

"It could happen. Now, come along." Ileana led her lover to their bed and pulled back the covers. She helped Xol in, as she used to do when they were children. Once Xol was secure, the princess followed behind her.

Xol settled into the middle of the bed and Ileana then settled against her. They had learned early on after being reunited that while Ileana was the taller between them, she was lighter and could lie almost completely on top of Xol without bothering her. Xol, on the other hand, could only rest single body parts on Ileana, like her head or her arm, but not much more than that. Apparently, daijinn had very dense bodies and Ileana could feel every bit of it if Xol tried to lie partially on her.

"Will you sing to me?" Ileana requested as she tried to fight down a yawn.

Xol smiled; she only knew one song. The one thing that she remembered from her life before Ileana was a song her mother sang to her about the sun and the moon. Ileana often requested that she sing it when they cuddled for the night. Xol always complied, loving to have the one special memory to share with her mate. They both feel asleep to Xol's gentle hum.

-8-8-8-8-

Light invaded the room as it did every morning. Xol mewled as she attempted to get out of bed, but Ileana refused to let go of her. Xol settled in and knew that she would not be able to get up for her morning exercises. When the time came to get up, they went through their morning routine, but there was a hiccup in their habit. There was a knock at the door and Xol went to answer it, thinking it was one of her clansmen. Instead, it was a servant.

"I must speak with her Highness," the servant announced and barged past Xol into the room. She did not get far as Xol grabbed her arm in a crushing grip.

"What business do you have with her?" Xol growled.

"Beloved, you can let her go. She works for me," Ileana said as she poked her head out of the bathroom. She was fully dressed, but was fixing her hair.

Xol growled again, but she did as she was told and let the servant girl go. The servant rushed over to Ileana and the two dipped out of sight of Xol. The small daijinn was tempted to listen in on what was going on, but respected her mate's privacy. If it were something that she was meant to know, Ileana would tell her.

The meeting did not take too long. As the servant rushed out of the room, Ileana hurried out of the bathroom. Going by her lover, she went into the closet and pulled out what appeared to be packed bags. Xol arched an eyebrow as Ileana pulled out more packed bags.

"Whoa, Ileana, what's going on?" Xol inquired.

"We have to leave," Ileana stated as if it was a stone cold fact.

"What? Why?" Xol's forehead was wrinkled as her eyebrows curled up.

"Go get our tribe. I will get Miss Olga and Viktor will probably want to come along. I hope he will go along with this anyway. I hope he has something packed. Miss Olga should be since she was the one that gave me this plan in the first place," Ileana ranted.

Xol stepped in front of her moving mate and grabbed her into a gentle embrace. Golden eyes pled with the princess to stop for a moment, but Ileana looked like she was about to burst into tears as well as explode in answer. Xol was not sure what to make of the expression.

"Slow down, my moon. What is going on? Why must we leave?" the smaller woman begged.

"My father. He's awake and moving," Ileana answered in a grave tone. Xol felt her insides run cold for the first time in a long time as a hard frown settled on her face. Ileana fell against her and shivered. They were as good as dead.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the great escape … or so Ileana, Xol, and their tribe hopes.


	3. 2: … The Storm

2: … The Storm

"How mobile is your father?" Xol asked her mate quietly while holding onto Ileana. She could feel the princess trembling against her.

"He apparently feels well enough and can move enough to want to know what Viktor and I have been up to. We have to leave, _now_ , my love. I have done things that my father can never forgive, things that I do not want him to forgive," Ileana stated soundly.

"I don't understand. What could you possibly do that your father would never forgive you? He's your father," Xol said with her face scrunched up.

"You know my father, beloved. He was ready to lock me in my room forever when he had an excuse to do so, right after he was going to execute you because of our relationship. Should he find out that I am once again sharing my bed with you and allowing your tribe to stay here, we would all be executed. If not that, he will certainly kill you and quite possibly sell me to slavery while calling it marriage. Either way, we are ruined if we stay."

"All right, all right, Ileana. I get what you mean. We'll get out of here. You said you had a plan? Will you tell me?" Xol requested.

"Oh. Forgive me. I just panicked and forgot that you at the least would require details. But, yes, I do have a plan, which we need to get to right now. I cannot wait for my father to make the first move. So, gather whatever you need."

"I did that already," Xol remarked while squeezing her mate tightly.

"Yes, well, you still need to get our tribe."

Xol smiled to ease the tension. "I love that you consider the four of them a tribe and _our_ tribe at that. I'll get them, but I want you to come, too. I don't want to leave your side if things are that dangerous."

"All right, but we have to go now. I know my father and he is not going to waste time getting us."

Xol nodded and grabbed the bags that Ileana had dragged out of the closet. Ileana grabbed the case that held her weapons and they were off, collecting their group while they had the chance. As Ileana suspected, Miss Olga was packed up already and agreed with her that leaving as soon as possible was the right thing to do. The daijinn were ready to go as soon as the word was said for they traveled as light as their leader did.

"Are you sure that you do not have anything that you need to take? You have all been here for a year," Ileana pointed out.

"None of it matters. Daijinn are creatures of movement by nature. We're nomads, boss," Yu reminded the princess.

"All right, we have to get Viktor. Hopefully, my father has not gotten to him yet," Ileana muttered as she rushed off. The group merely followed her. She practically ran to his bedroom, pushing past any servants that got in her way. While the space that she occupied was barren of life beyond her, Miss Olga, and the dajinn, Viktor's chambers and beyond were teeming with life. She burst into his bedroom.

"Illie, what are you doing?" Viktor inquired in a confused voice. He was still in his pajamas, but since a servant was holding up his pants and another had his vest in hand with his shirt, it was clear he was about to get dressed.

"I must speak with you in private," she replied, glaring at the servants. They did not even wait for the prince's orders and marched out of the room.

"What's wrong?" Viktor asked, putting his hand on Ileana's arm and begging her with his puppy-like brown eyes.

"Little brother, I have to leave. Father is awake and active. He will certainly come after me and my beloved as well as Miss Olga and the tribe. There is not a lot of time. Will you come with us or will you stay?" she asked in a flurry of low words.

"Go? Where will we go?" Viktor asked, squinting as if searching his sister's face.

Ileana smiled. "You will go? Come, I will tell you as we leave. I have things packed for you already. Dress and grab whatever you think you cannot live without," she urged her brother.

Viktor did not even ask questions and Ileana would have been proud that her brother had such trust in her if only she was not so worried about her father. Viktor wasted no time getting dressed and he gathered books and other items into a leather satchel that he had handy. They exited his room and reunited with the group. Ileana walked off and they followed her.

"Everyone act calm and natural. We will not run and we will walk directly out of palace from the main hall. Father would have guards stalking the tunnels, knowing we know them well," Ileana warned everyone.

"Don't the big bags give us away?" Kwen inquired in his gruff, skeptical voice.

"Still, if we run, we will let my father know that we are aware of his plans and he will just capture us. While we are strong, we are but eight people," Ileana pointed out.

"Just follow the bosses' lead," Mei hissed. "They haven't let us down yet."

Kwen could not argue that and did not when Xol glared at him. They did as Ileana said and strolled calmly to the front gates. As they continued on, Xol's ears twitched as did the other daijinn. Xol glanced around.

"Yu, stay with our Elder," Xol ordered.

"Don't need no young 'un 'sitting me," Fry huffed. She had been dubbed the tribe's "elder." It was a sign of respect in daijinn culture and Fry took to it like most cranky aging people did, she made a fuss.

"Mei with Viktor," Xol commanded.

"I'm wearing the little guy already," Mei remarked with a grin as she walked up behind Viktor.

"You have a carriage waiting?" Miss Olga asked Ileana. The pale woman gripped a bag swung over her shoulder that Ileana knew contained her weapons.

The princess nodded ahead of them. There was a carriage, which would unfortunately not fit them all comfortably, but it was the best that she could do. It was not her fault that Kwen was the size of two people and Yu was not far behind that.

"Are they closing in?" Miss Olga asked, not wanting to look behind them.

"They're yards away. We should be in the carriage before they get here," Xol answered, shifting her ears to keep track of guards moving closer.

"By then, they'll know something's up," Kwen pointed out.

"Uh, I think they already know that, genius. We don't want to tip them off as to what we're doing, though. Some don't do something stupid," Mei huffed.

"Kids, we do not have time for this," Ileana chided them.

"When we get to the carriage, you all get in. I'll load the luggage and tie it down as we leave," Xol said.

"Beloved, you could be harmed," Ileana pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm also the only one of us that can return fire," Xol reminded her lover.

No one could argue that and as they drew closer to the carriage and noticed the guards drawing closer no one bothered to try. Xol jumped up to the roof of the carriage, rocking it violently. Yu tossed bags up to her while she scanned the area, seeing the guards rushing over now. She growled.

"Everybody get in!" Xol ordered.

Commands were definitely few and far in between with Xol, so as she barked them out now, everyone in her crew just listened. They pushed into the transport and Xol demanded that the driver go. Arrows whizzed through the air, heading straight for them. They were disintegrated as Xol let loose a crescent of flame from her right hand while her left hand tried to tie down the bags.

"Go faster!" Xol snarled to the driver, who urged the four horses onward.

"Boss, you need you get your little ass in here!" Kwen barked as the carriage struggled forward at an increasing speed.

"I know what I'm doing. Just be alert in case they come from the sides or make it to the carriage!" Xol countered.

"Let the chief do her job. You just worry about doing yours," Mei hissed at the large male.

Kwen huffed so loud that Xol heard it from the outside. She was not too worried him as she focused on the guards that were now chasing after them. There were five men coming in on foot while she noticed several others break off; she assumed that they were going for horses. Arrows continued to rain down on them and Xol took care of them with as much fire as she could muster. She then trained her right arm on the pursuing guards and allowed them to feel her flame.

"How are things looking out there, boss? We can't make out much noise over the horses," Yu called.

Xol moved her ears, listening for where their enemies might be coming from. "They're riding toward us from both sides," she informed her tribe.

"We're ready for them!" Kwen declared.

"It might be unnecessary," Ileana realized. "Soon we will hit the narrow streets of the city. They will not be able to converge on us too heavily unless they follow us out of the gate or they try to cut us off."

"You heard that, boss?" Yu called out to the small daijinn.

"I heard!" Xol answered. "I'll move to the front when we get to the city!"

"I suppose the year was just too dull," Miss Olga remarked with a frown as she watched outside of the carriage. She heard an arrow hit the door and turned her eyes to the princess. "Tell your mate that she missed one."

"Sorry! It seems like they have an army just for the archers!" Xol snarled as she threw several flame crests to keep the arrows at bay.

Xol's small body was jostled as the carriage shook from a change in terrain and they hit the cobblestone streets of the city. Scanning the new territory, she noted several horses bounding ahead of them in the distance. She hissed and let loose a large column of fire behind her to deal with any guards that were tailing them. She then moved herself to the front, coming right behind the driver.

"I should've asked for hazard pay," he remarked as the first string of guards showed up to block their path.

"Next time, whenever dealing with the princess, double whatever she offers," Xol advised as the marks on her right arm seemed to pop and flow like lava. She then unleashed a blast that almost sounded as if it roared. It looked like it sprang from the sun itself. The guards ahead of them wasted no time moving or dying if they were not fast enough. The carriage rushed through the carnage as the smell of burnt wood and flesh began to make its presence known.

The driver laughed. "I think I'll take off half of whatever she asks if she has you with her," he quipped.

Suddenly, Ileana's head was out of the window of the carriage. "Driver, take the next left!"

"That street is off limits to coaches," he reminded her.

"I am well aware, which is why we shall use it! It is also a shorter route to the gates," Ileana pointed out.

"Won't they be closing the gate, ma'am?" he pointed out.

"Do not fret. I am sure you have met our personal key," Ileana remarked.

"I'll get us through," Xol declared and then she turned her attention to her mate. "Now, get back in there before you take an arrow to the face and I have to burn this whole place down!"

Ileana chuckled, but she did as commanded. The driver also did as he was ordered and took the next left. People screamed as the carriage squeezed through the extremely narrow street. Carts were stripped and splinters flew through the air. Chickens, ducks, and other birds were flying as dogs barked at the strange sight. But, just as quickly as the chaos began, it was over and the coach was on another main street.

"Ma'am, any other suggestions?" the driver hollered down to the princess while Xol smiled because there were no guards in sight.

"She says go through the market next!" Mei shouted back to the driver.

The driver nodded and complied, causing mass chaos in the market place. Several guards on horseback attempted to overtake the carriage, but could not make it through the throngs of panicking people. Matters were only worsened when Xol decided to start several fires around slavers' stands.

"We might just make it," the driver smiled.

"Hey, the boss said don't go to main gate! Use the smaller gate to the east!" Mei hollered.

"I'm not sure a carriage of this size will fit," the driver said.

"Just do what she says. It tends to work out," Xol informed him.

The driver did not argue since the group seemed to know what they were doing. Xol's arm pulsed as she continued to rid them of any guards that ventured too close. They faced one last barricade before they would be at the gate and Xol growled as her right arm burst into flames and she took out the remaining guards. The sounds of the horses whining and bodies hitting the ground echoed through the city as the coach pushed by the fallen men.

"Hold on, this'll be a tight fit and we might lose some skin on this one!" the driver practically whooped as he spoke. The grin on his face told Xol that Ileana had probably sought out a person that would enjoy the excitement of their escape. _My mate certainly did think this through_.

Guards rushed in front of the carriage, armed with bows and swords. Xol cleared them out of the way with her fire and the driver urged the horses toward the small eastern gate. It was not made for coaches to pass through. It was built as a way to move troops in and out of the city, not very high and not very wide either. Xol fixed both of those with one powerful fireball from her fist.

"She's getting more and more creative with that one hand," Yu nodded as the carriage rocked over debris.

"Hopefully the goddess' blessing will reach her other arm soon because she's looking exhausted," Mei noted as she poked her head out of the coach to check on their chief.

"She can handle it," Kwen huffed.

"Beloved, how are you feeling?" Ileana called out to Xol.

"I'm fine. Just be ready for attacks from all sides once we hit the woods! Space will soon be on their side!" Xol reminded them all.

They all knew that the pale daijinn was correct, so Miss Olga freed her sword from its case. She wielded several styles of blades, but her saber had been the one she chose to carry. Ileana also unleashed her twin blades and Yu and Mei looked like they were ready to melt in their seats.

"You two better not be gawking at Ileana!" Xol growled to her clansmen.

"We would never!" Mei lied. She and Yu were openly enamored with Ileana whenever she held weapons.

Ileana rolled her eyes while carefully holding her weapons. Her eyes tracked outside, watching the wide river that separated the city from the open forest. They thundered across the bridge as if the hounds of Hell were after them and as soon as they touched down on solid earth, they could have sworn demon dogs were on their heels. Royal guards burst from the trees like fleeing birds and hooves beating against the ground filled the air.

"Boss, we got the sides if you got the front and back!" Yu shouted as he eased open the door to the coach and balanced on the slim footing outside. Holding on with one hand, he reached out and tore into the chest of a guard that ventured too close.

"Just make sure you keep to your ordered assignments as well!" Xol barked as dark orange flames tore through her arm and then shot out in front of her toward guards that had hoped to cut them off.

Soon, there were guards all over them. The driver did his part of keeping the carriage moving while the group made sure they were not captured. Metal clashed as some guards got close enough to think that they would be able to slice the defending daijinn, but met Ileana's machetes and Miss Olga's saber. The pair was half inside the carriage and half out as they fought.

"Boss, stay in or the chief will have our heads if something happens to you!" Yu hollered and less than a second later he started to wonder what life would be like without a head because Ileana was yanked out of the coach.

"Illie!" Viktor cried.

"I am fine!" Ileana proclaimed as she bashed the guard in the face with the hilt of her sword. She then pushed him off of his steed and took charge of the beast.

"Be careful out there!" Mei said.

"Ileana, why are you on the horse?" Xol inquired when she noticed her mate.

"This is actually easier!" Ileana replied.

Xol did not dispute her lover and made sure to just have her back by throwing fire to any guard that dared get close to her. Ileana directed her horse toward any straggling guards and took them out with single, precise swings of her blades. Little by little, the guards trickled away.

"Ileana, watch out!" Xol snarled, her arm too busy ridding them of the pests to the right for her to take care of the vermin near her mate.

The princess put her swords up to block the heavy blade of a guard and was surprised as his sword went through both of hers. She snarled in a manner that would have made her tribesmen proud, steered her horse right for the guard, and planted what was left of her swords in his chest.

"Back in the carriage now, mate," Xol called to her lover.

"Calm down, my dearest rose. I'm going," Ileana replied.

"Hey, be ready to receive the taller boss!" Xol shouted to her clansmen.

"We got the boss, chief!" Mei said. "We really need to start differentiating between the two of them."

"I would make an inappropriate joke right now, but she's the chief's mate and we are about to get killed," Yu pointed out as he clawed through yet another guard that got a little close.

"The first part of your statement is true, but I think that second part is a lie," Mei commented as she leaned further out to grab Ileana. She noticed the intense action going on with Xol's arm.

The cream-colored, burning limb looked something akin to boiling lava. She had only seen Xol do such a thing once and it was only during training. The lead daijinn let out a mighty roar, showing off extremely long canine teeth. Throwing out her arm to unleash all the fury of the sun goddess on those behind her, Xol launched a tidal wave of fire. The force alone downed trees and broke apart the earth beneath them. When the initial destruction was complete, fire sprang up everywhere the blast touched. There was no hope for the men following them to continue on.

"I'm gonna faint now!" Xol announced and did just that.

The small body collapsed and she was lucky that Yu caught her as she was about to plummet to the ground. He settled back into the coach with her as Kwen, Miss Olga, and Mei took care of the few remaining guards. Ileana held her hands out for her beloved as soon as she was safely inside.

"She'll be too heavy for you, boss," Yu pointed out.

"Give her to me," Ileana commanded in a voice that made Yu comply instinctively.

Viktor moved over and Kwen and Miss Olga did not have the space that they had before, but Xol was propped up comfortably. Ileana took her lover and laid her head in her lap. She caressed Xol head and felt her beloved drenched in sweat and panting for breath.

"She is exhausted," Ileana commented.

"The goddess' blessing comes at a price. The more power she calls forth, the more she tires herself out. It's not easy being a vessel," Mei replied.

"Will you shut up with your mythological babbling?" Kwen huffed, glaring at Mei from across what seemed like a small space.

"I am inclined to agree with the oaf," Miss Olga commented.

"Hey!" both Mei and Kwen barked.

"Everybody relax and settle down! We have a long, dangerous journey ahead of us. Just because we escaped those guards does not mean my father will not try again! We must remain alert, focused, and together!" the princess reminded them all.

"Yes, boss," the daijinn said.

"Of course, your highness," Miss Olga replied.

"Illie?" Viktor chimed in.

"Yes, my brave little brother," Ileana replied with a smile. She was quite pleased that he decided to come with them. She was not sure what she would have done if her brother had chosen to stay with their father. He was the only blood relative she had close to her.

"Where are we going?" he asked curiously.

Ileana grinned at her brother. "We are going to see our mother!"

"Mother?" Viktor echoed with his adorable face scrunched up. "We have a mother?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, we do, baby brother. We have a wonderful and kind mother, who I have been corresponding with for almost as long as Father has been sick. She misses us a great deal and accepted the idea that I might come live with her. I even told her that you might come and she was very enthused by the idea. She wishes to see us again. She wishes to be with us," Ileana reported with an even bigger smile. Her light brown eyes shined and her whole body seemed to glow.

Viktor grinned, too. "I would like to meet our mother!"

"So you shall, little brother, so you shall."

"Does your mother know to expect us, boss?" Mei inquired. She then looked at her fellow daijinn. "I think Ileana will be 'boss' and the little goddess is gonna be 'chief' from now on."

"You can't just decide that for the lot of us!" Kwen objected. "I like calling the shrimp 'boss.' She is the one in charge, which makes her the boss."

"Can we have this argument sometime when it's relevant? Back to the actually good question of does you mother know to expect us, boss?" Yu asked.

Ileana nodded. "I informed my mother of everything that has happened from when I started writing her up until a couple of weeks ago. I told her some months ago that if I were to ever come with her, I would have company with me and explained that I meant beyond my beloved." She stroked Xol's hair a bit as she spoke.

"Does your mother know of your relationship with your beloved?" Miss Olga sniffed.

To that, Ileana shook her head. "That is something I thought would best be told in person. I am not ashamed of my love and I will tell my mother as soon as possible."

"And if she feels the way most of the world feels?" Miss Olga pointed out.

"I shall leave, as I have just done my father. I have lost my beloved once. I cannot do it again," Ileana declared.

"Hopefully, she will not ask you to do so," Viktor said with a smile.

"I remember when I was small and Xol was Rose. You had not been born yet," Ileana said to her brother with a smile. "Our mother was the first to support my bond to my beloved. We were but children, obviously not in love yet, but she supported a friendship. On several occasions, she told me how happy she was that I had Rose in my life. She always said that loneliness was a terrible thing. I remember the look in her eyes, so distant and desperately alone. She did not want that for me, which is why I am certain she would not ask me to chose. She would accept my love," the princess reasoned.

"Barbarian cultures often accept barbarian behavior," Miss Olga muttered.

"Hey!" all of the daijinn barked and then growled at the pale woman. She did not back down from them.

Ileana held up her hand. "Miss Olga is entitled to her thoughts. She has made it clear what she thinks of the relationship, as well as what she thinks of my mother. Miss Olga, if you have a problem with us heading south, please say so. I will have the driver take you anywhere you please once we are with my mother."

Miss Olga blinked, obviously not expecting that reaction. "Forgive me, highness, for speaking out of turn. I have been with you for your whole life. I have no intention of leaving now. I have … I have never been to the south."

"No?" Ileana seemed surprised by that. "I always imagined you traveled, but how could you when your life has been my life?"

"As it always will be. So, no more talk of separation," Miss Olga said, dismissing the whole matter with a wave of her hand.

"Watch that damned barbarian bullshit, too," Kwen warned.

"Hey, language," Ileana scolded him while nodding toward her brother.

Kwen rolled his eyes. "I'll have him talking like a man yet. It worked on the little goddess," he boasted.

"Which is why I do not want you swearing in front of him or her anymore."

"The boss told you," Mei teased him.

"Don't start," Xol ordered in a groggy, mumbled tone. Ileana's attention immediately went to her beloved.

"Love, would you like some water? I have that dried fruit that you're fond of if you need food," Ileana offered.

Xol could only nod. Ileana went into the one bag that she was carrying with her and pulled out a gourd of cold water. She pulled the cap and put it to Xol's lips. Xol took a few gulps before pulling away. Ileana capped the container and pulled out a pouch of food. She fed her lover bits of dried fruit.

The carriage settled down and everyone watched the scenery go by. As they went through the countryside, they came into snow flurries. Such weather was not unusual, especially during the winter, but the passengers were still fascinated with it. Slowly, but surely, they noticed things change. The chill lessened and the snow vanished. Leaves soon appeared on trees. There were mountain ranges in the distance and then closer until they were fading in their wake.

During the trip, there were stops, but not for very long. They mostly camped in the woods close to water and grass for the horses. They did not bother with any towns because they knew the daijinn would not be able to walk around without pretending to be slaves and Ileana would never ask such a thing of them.

After weeks of travel, the carriage began to rock more so than usual. They all knew that meant the road had changed. That usually meant that they were in a new country, but the trip was much rockier than ever before.

"Is there even a road?" Ileana wondered aloud and looked outside to see that there was not. "There is no road. Marcin, where are we?" she called to the driver.

"Your country, ma'am. This is Chuachin."

"This is Chuachin?" Ileana echoed incredulously. Beyond the lack of road, the area was overgrown and the trees of the thick forest seemed crooked. "Nothing that I read made it sound like this."

"You probably did not read any of the literature that spoke about how this country is cursed," Miss Olga pointed out.

"Cursed?" Ileana parroted.

"I do not know much about it, but supposedly it was cursed and has been for a very long time. I am not surprised your mother did not mention it," Miss Olga sniped.

"Miss Olga, my mother is doing us a favor. When we get to her home, it would do you well not to insult her. You will treat my mother with respect and thanks. If you have any problem with that, you will have a problem with me," Ileana warned her governess.

"And, of course, if you have a problem with the taller boss, you have a problem with us and the tiny boss," Yu remarked.

"You've been dying to call me that, haven't you?" Xol asked.

"I think Mei is right. We need to figure out how to differentiate between the pair of you. Yes, we respect you both the same as she is your mate, your equal, your other half. But, if we only want one of you, we can't call out 'boss' or you both turn and we've wasted one of your time," he explained.

"Can we do this when we are safe and warm?" Ileana proposed.

"You're snuggled up with the freaking embodiment of the sun goddess. I think you're the second warmest out of all of us," Mei pointed out.

The conversation faded and the scenes outside seemed to get more depressing. They passed several abandoned and dissolute houses. Vines crept through wagons and carts left alongside of what was once a road; Ileana figured it was probably a road about a hundred years ago. She almost wanted to say that country was probably a country a century ago.

"We should be in the capital in a few days, if the road doesn't improve. We can only hope it doesn't get worse," the driver called to them.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Marcin," Ileana said sarcastically.

Days ended up being a week thanks to the roads, or lack there of, in Chuachin. They came to the capital city of Basilinar. It was just as bleak as the rest of the country. It was clearly a city, but it looked like a ghost town. The buildings were in disrepair and people were scarce. But, they continued on to the most awe inspiring sight the country had to offer – the palace.

"Mother," Ileana whispered with a grin. She could not wait to reunite with her mother and for her mother to meet her brother. It was a long time coming and she hoped that it went well.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana and Viktor meet the family they did not know they had.


	4. 3: New Frontier

3: New Frontier

Ileana and her group exited the carriage as it got to the top of the hill and the steps of the royal palace of Basilinar. Its size made it a small town in the middle of a city. They had passed several pools and gardens on their way and had been awed by all that they saw, but the palace itself was the most impressive sight and that was from outside. It was white with striking lilac tiles along the tower roofs. Marble columns lined the front lobby with large statues of people no one in the group knew. There were symbols and designs carved all over the place that they did not know. It was truly a castle and it stood out more for being in such a bleak part of the world.

"This must not be part of that curse you were talking about, eh?" Mei said to Miss Olga, throwing a teasing smile the older female's way.

"Certainly not," Miss Olga muttered. Her own blue eyes wide with wonder at the palace. Even their home back in Fleuriza could not rival the beauty of the Basilinar castle.

"Well, folks, I think this is where we part ways," Marcin, their coach driver, commented as he pulled the horses to a halt.

"Our mother lives here?" Viktor asked in disbelief while seeming to try to take the whole building in one gaze. It seemed like an impossible feat.

"Yes, she does," Ileana smiled.

Yu and Kwen opened the doors of the carriage and stepped to the smooth ground. Yu helped Fry out, as the elder put up a fuss over being treated "like an old person." Xol hopped out and helped the royal siblings exit the coach. Mei and Miss Olga were the last out. The driver began unloading their few pieces of luggage.

The group turned to look at the entrance of the palace as they noticed people walking toward them. Everyone tensed and Xol stepped in front of her mate while Yu stepped in front of Fry and Mei stood in front of Viktor. Fingers flexed and the daijinns' claws extended slightly. Ileana squinted to try to make out the people before her tribe attacked their allies.

"Everyone, just be calm. Remember, we were invited here. Do not be impulsive," the princess quietly urged her group.

"Don't worry, my precious moon. We just want to be sure these are friends and not foes," Xol said and then she sniffed the air. "They don't smell as if they're going to attack. One even smells kind of familiar."

"My mother," Ileana realized and she could make out the form of her mother. "It is my mother." She could not contain her smile.

Xol nodded, but she was still somewhat tense. As the group came closer, Xol could tell that Ileana was correct. Her mother and several others were approaching. When they were close enough to see, none of the group were too sure what to make of them. They were dressed in fine garbs that none of the group had seen before. One person coming toward them was an elderly gentleman who walked with the aid of a cane and he appeared to be wearing a crown. He was flanked by three younger men and beside them, off just a bit was Ileana's mother – Lucia.

Lucia definitely looked older than Ileana recalled, but she knew that the last time that she saw her mother, her mother was only a little older than the princess herself currently was. Her milk chocolate skin was flawless, except for creases at the corners of her eyes. Her hazel eyes had a shine that Ileana never saw when her mother lived with her father. Her honey blond and sandy brown hair was much longer than Ileana remembered, but still curled at the ends. Now that she was close enough, Ileana could see that her mother was dressed in silk; very beautiful, teal silk robes. The clothing style was totally foreign to the princess, though. She did not bother to think about that once her mother spoke.

"Ileana, I am so happy that you made it," Lucia grinned as she stepped up to Ileana. She reached her arms out, but quickly put them down. Ileana rushed in and embraced her mother.

"It has been way too long, Mother. I am glad that you agreed to receive us," Ileana said, unable to keep her happiness out of her voice and the emotion shined in her eyes.

"How could I not? I have dreamed of your faces. You and your brother," Lucia continued to smile. Tears gathered in her eyes as she glanced over at Viktor. Ileana turned to her brother.

"Come, Viktor. You must meet our mother," Ileana gently urged him, waving him over.

The boy trotted over to Ileana, who took him by the shoulders and moved him in front of her. The tears in Lucia's eyes fell as she stared down into eyes so much like her own. Her hands went out again, but she put them down, obviously not certain if it was all right to touch the boy. He smiled slightly.

"Viktor, this is our mother Lucia," Ileana whispered and then she turned her attention to her mother. "Mother, this is your son, Viktor Dominic Fleurizan." She could feel her brother trembling in her arms. "I think you two might feel better if you embrace."

Lucia burst out sobbing as her arms went around Viktor's skinny frame. Tears slid down Viktor's cheeks, too, and his body shook as he slid his arms around his mother's waist. He did not seem to know what to do, especially as she pulled away and cupped his face with both of her hands.

"I have longed to hold you for so many years. I know you do not know, but I barely held you for ten seconds when you were a newborn. You were beautiful and you have grown up so handsome," Lucia smiled through her tears.

Viktor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He jumped back into her arms and held on tightly. Lucia chuckled and held him back. She ran one hand over his fair, peach-colored cheek and then went to his long black hair. She played with the ends a little, probably fascinated with the slight curl. Ileana smiled as she noticed her brother's hair because she knew the curl was inherited from their mother. Viktor had also inherited their mother's eyes, as Ileana did, as well as their mother's demeanor.

"We have a lifetime to catch up with each other and get to know each other," Lucia promised her son.

"I cannot wait. I cannot wait," Viktor replied in a sob.

"It will be all right, Viktor." Lucia pulled away again, taking a deep breath. She settled somewhat and put her arm around Viktor's shoulders as she glanced over the rest of the group with Ileana. First, she noticed the princess' servant. "Miss Olga, I never imagined I would see you again," she commented in an even tone.

"I had the same thought. Your daughter is full of surprises, though," Miss Olga replied indifferently.

Lucia smiled. "I am not surprised by that." She then turned to away and noticed the small, pale daijinn. "Rose, I always pictured you growing more than that and I did not think you would be quite so muscular."

"Rose," Mei snickered and got Kwen to laugh with her. Yu joined in a little and they all earned a glance from Xol. The look shut them up.

Xol smiled. "Uh … didn't think you'd remember me," she muttered, eyes looking everywhere but at Lucia.

"And she speaks now," Lucia teased. "Thank you for standing by my daughter for all of these years. You both need someone in your life that will always be there for you."

"Oh, they have that," Mei hummed.

"Ignore our children, Mother. Mei, Yu, and Kwen," Ileana pointed to each. "They are the members of Xol's – Rose's – small tribe of daijinn. Fry is their elder. She was a mother to Rose when she was sent down into the kitchens," she explained.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I am Lucia Bakunarius. Please, let me introduce you to my family," Lucia insisted, turning to face the men that accompanied her from the palace.

"Family?" Viktor squeaked in surprise, as if he did not think Lucia had a family.

"First and foremost, Ileana, Viktor, I would like you to meet your grandfather, my father, King Vincenzo Bakunarius," Lucia introduced them. "I will have to translate. He does not speak any of the northern languages."

It never crossed Ileana's mind that she might have a grandfather. Her father's parents had died before she was born and she never thought about her mother's parents. In fact, she never thought having a family beyond her parents, her brother, and her beloved.

The siblings' grandfather was a tall man, probably taller than their father was when he was younger. Now, the old man was slouched over somewhat and supporting himself with a cane, but the height was still there. Bits of curly grey hair popped out from an elaborate crown on his head. His face was a dusty tan. Dark brown eyes stared back at the siblings in amazement. He smiled at the pair as they vaguely heard their mother speak in a rapid, flowing language. They tuned back in when the king's lips moved.

"Your grandfather says that you are very handsome children. He is happy to have you and will not allow any harm to come to you," Lucia explained. She then turned to the men flanking the king. "These are my younger brothers, your uncles. The eldest of them is Massimo."

Massimo was shorter than the King and much stouter, too. His complexion matched Lucia's, but he had the deep, dark brown eyes of Vincenzo. His short hair was dark brown, but when the sun hit it at the right angle there was clearly a deep crimson tint to it. He was dressed in silk robes like both Lucia and the King, but the style was somewhat different because his had buttons instead of ties. He spoke and reached out to shake the siblings' hands.

"He says it's nice to meet you. Sorry, they do not speak any northern languages either. In fact, Arrigo and Riccardo only speak our native language of Chuachinese," Lucia explained while pointing to her brothers.

Ileana and Viktor nodded, even though they did not understand how such a thing could occur. They had been educated in many languages since they were toddlers. Of course, they had not been taught any southern languages as the people of the south were considered to be barbarians and savages. They reached out to shake the hands of their other uncles.

Arrigo was the middle brother and the tallest of the trio, standing taller than his father. He was slim with short, curly jet-black hair that had hints of chestnut in it. He had a goatee with large hazel eyes and rich brown complexion.

Riccardo was the baby of the group and he looked similar to a baby with tawny, chubby cheeks. His face was smooth and his brown eyes drooped a bit, giving them a sleepy look. He was of a medium build and taller than Massimo. He smiled brightly at the siblings and not only shook their hands, but drew them into hugs as well. Ileana noted that her mother rolled her eyes to his behavior.

"The servants will handle your bags. For now, Poppa wants you to join us all for a feast. He is very happy to receive you," Lucia informed the group.

"All of us?" Viktor asked, looking up Lucia.

She smiled at him and glanced over at his group. "Yes, all of you. You will find that here in Chuachin, we are not quite as dismissive of people as they are in Fleuriza. When Ileana wrote to me, I prepared for all of the daijinn she said would be with her. I am quite happy that she brought you along, though. She feared that you might not leave your father."

Viktor's face scrunched up and he turned to his older sister. Ileana could only look down at him with sorrowful eyes. Yes, she feared that Viktor would stay behind when she knew that she would have to flee. Their father would never harm Viktor, his only son and heir. Ileana was beyond expendable. There were points in her life where Ileana even questioned if her father cared about her at all, but now, she knew for certain that he would not spit on her if she was on fire. In fact, he would probably call for wood to help her burn.

"Come, I am sure you would all like to freshen up before we dine," Lucia said, waving the group on. "I will show you to your apartments."

"Thank you, Mother. I am sure you have better things to do than showing us around," Ileana said.

"I assure you I have nothing better to do than spend time with you. So, please, come along," Lucia urged the group.

Ileana, Xol, Viktor, and the dajinns followed Lucia into the palace. The group admired the decor as they walked through the wide halls that were covered in ivory, gold, lilac, and teal. There were elaborate, colorful portraits and scenes done in paint as well as mosaics. In the walls and columns there were more carvings, some of people, animals, and everything in between. Rich tapestries hung from the walls, telling stories and histories that the guests unfortunately could not understand. Even the floors had designs all over them, as if they had stories to tell. The whole palace seemed to be made of soothing, pastel colors, always grabbing the eye's attention.

"This place is amazing," Ileana commented as her eyes roamed the large halls.

"The palace in Fleuriza is just as magnificent, if I remember correctly," Lucia said.

"Not quite. The sense of dread is a bit lacking," Ileana quipped. For her, her father's palace always seemed grim and dark while her mother's home seemed welcoming and light.

"Give it time," Lucia muttered grimly.

"Mother?" Ileana asked with a curiously arched eyebrow.

"I will fill you all in after you settle in and then you can decide if you truly do want to stay here," Lucia answered.

"Well, that didn't sound ominous in the slightest," Mei remarked with a slight smile.

"Since when do you do sarcasm in our language?" Miss Olga asked in a deadpan tone.

Mei grinned proudly. "I've been studying. Soon I'll sound as prim and proper as the little goddess."

Ileana and Miss Olga chuckled at that. They supposed compared to the rest of the daijinn, yes, Xol did sound "prim and proper" when speaking a human language. Her voice definitely was not as deep and gravely as the others, who spoke in a manner that was barely understood by the humans around them, but she spoke in a low, almost growl sort of way. They referred to it as an "accent," but most would call it a "severe, deep-throated mumble."

"Little goddess?" Lucia echoed with a puzzled expression.

"I have much to explain to you also. So, you can explain and then I can explain," Ileana replied.

"Well, then it sounds like we will have much to discuss. We can hold off until after the feast," Lucia proposed and Ileana nodded in agreement.

-8-8-8-8-

The group did not want to keep their hosts waiting too long, so they all freshened up quickly without taking much of the house in. Everyone changed into their best clothing, only to enter the dining hall and find that their outfits did not fit in at all, especially the daijinn as they had worn their tradition clothing made of buckskin. They did not have a chance to contemplate that their clothing did not fit in because they were stunned by what they were seeing at the feast.

There were no chairs and all of the food was out on extremely low tables. There were hundreds of people in attendance and they were either reclining on low lounges or sitting on them with no more than two people per cushioned couch. Some people did not bother with the chaises and simply sat on large pillows on the floor. The arriving group could not help look on in confusion.

"Where are the chairs?" Miss Olga whispered to Ileana.

"I am more concerned about the food," Ileana replied.

"I can see your point," the governess said as her eyes fell to where the princess was looking.

While they did not eat squid in Fleuriza, they certainly knew one when they saw it and there were several small ones sitting with about a dozen fish that still had their heads. In fact, from what they could see, everything still had a head, including a pig on a far table. Ileana, Viktor, and Miss Olga seemed to be the only ones bothered by that.

"Feasting. Now, this is something I could get used to," Kwen stated with a grin as he rubbed his hands together.

Xol nodded. "Food would be good."

"Beloved, you are actually willing to eat that food?" Ileana inquired in a very low tone.

Xol shrugged. "It's food."

"Not everything looks like it is going to jump off of the table and sit with you," Lucia remarked with a smile. "Come, we sit on the royal platform and I will have food you are more familiar with brought to the table. I hope that you enjoy it."

"I hope that we can stomach it," Miss Olga grumbled. Ileana gave the older woman a warning glare.

They went to the front of the room to a high platform that was cut off from the rest of the room by a sheer, light blue curtain. Lucia carefully climbed the stairs and showed that she was not wearing shoes. Miss Olga arched an eyebrow and looked wide-eyed at the princess, who waved her off. They followed Lucia and found the King and his sons, sitting on pillows and speaking with three other gentlemen. Lucia bowed her head as she regarded her father, brothers, and the men. Lucia spoke to them before turning to her daughter and the others.

"These men are members of the Council. Our country has a king, but also has a council of two hundred men who advice the King and represent different towns and villages throughout the kingdom. They're all noblemen and try to help the King know how to better the areas that they represent. I told them that you are my daughter Ileana and my son Viktor, as well as friends. They may grill you about what goes on in the north, even though I already explained that you do not speak the language, but they are not bad men," Lucia explained.

"This should make for an interesting meal, then," Ileana commented.

"I would tell you do not stress as they will be gone in ten minutes, but more will come in their place," Lucia sighed. "Come, we will sit and eat and talk to our hearts' content," she smiled.

Lucia motioned to the empty sofas and pillows. The group did their best to arrange themselves, but it looked like a bizarre game of musical chairs – without the chairs. Lucia sat down on a pillow and watched with an amused smile as the group sat down, got up, moved down a seat, moved across a seat, and practically did the hocky-pocky until they settled.

Viktor sat by his mother while Ileana and Xol settled together on a couch that allowed the couple to look out into the crowd and see anyone approaching. Yu and Mei sat together and placed themselves next to the stairs of the platform to watch anyone walking up. Kwen took a seat that allowed him to see behind them. Fry and Miss Olga were stuck sitting next to each other, which worked since they hardly spoke to each other unless it was absolutely necessary, which meant that they were less likely to upset each other than any other people in the group.

"Oh, duck!" Kwen declared and reached from the entire bird that was smothered in a sauce that Ileana could not recognize.

"How do you even know that is duck?" Ileana inquired.

"Smelled it," Kwen muttered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as he bit right into the thing.

"You can tell what everything is by smell?" Ileana asked, speaking to Xol.

"If I've smelled it before, I can tell what everything is and what was used to prepare it. You might like this lamb," Xol replied and leaned forward, but stopped. Her eyes drifted to Lucia. Xol, unlike her other clansmen, had been involved in more human gatherings that she would ever like to remember, so she was aware that they had an altogether different etiquette when dining.

"It is fine … Xol, right?" Lucia asked and the petite daijinn nodded. Lucia smiled. "I will have to adjust because you have been Rose in my head for the past ten years. I am sure I will get used to it as I have to get used to you talking. It is quite shocking."

Xol did not say anything and reached over for the platter of lamb. Ileana spent her time scanning for a fork and was overjoyed to find one. She breathed a sigh of relief, but was ready to suck it back in as she looked at what she could only trust was mutton. It was sliced very small and covered in dressing as well as decorated with vegetables that she did not recognize.

"Boss, just eat it! This food is great!" Mei declared before she bit into something that Ileana could not even begin to guess at. She did note that every item seemed to have a thin layer or thick coat of different types of condiments.

"You'll like it," Xol promised in a whisper.

"I am going to trust you on this one," Ileana whispered back and cut herself a very small piece. Taking the tiny morsel into her mouth, she made a surprised yelp that got a smile out of her mother.

"Good?" Lucia inquired.

"It is good. I have never had mutton sweetened before," Ileana replied.

"I am glad you like it. I hope you enjoy some of our other foods," Lucia said.

"I am going to try. Are there plates? I feel odd eating off the platter," Ileana said.

"There are small plates and bowls …" Lucia scanned the table. "That have carelessly not been placed out for our tables, I see. It will be remedied immediately."

Bowls and plates seemed to appear before the group; that was how efficient the servants were. Ileana trusted her lover to put little dishes together for her as Xol seemed to know by smell what she would like. Xol also helped Viktor in that manner. Miss Olga was left to her own devices, which was expected considering her behavior thus far. The daijinn seemed to eat anything that caught their eye.

"What's that?" Yu asked as Kwen shoved whatever he was eating into his mouth.

"Squid, I think," Kwen grumbled.

"Could you possibly be anymore disgusting? This is why we have everything cut into little pieces at home," Ileana pointed out.

"Wha?" Kwen shrugged with tentacles sticking out of his mouth.

"Your table manners are gross, which I understand considering we spent a lot of time in a cave and the better parts of our lives eating garbage, but at some point you have to realize, you make us all want to throw up," Mei explained.

Kwen slurped the tentacles in his mouth. "Why?"

"Can you at least chew with your mouth closed? Just do us that favor," Ileana sighed.

"What?" Kwen begged to know again, but everyone ignored him. Lucia laughed while Viktor leaned over. He patted Kwen on his massive shoulder and the large daijinn looked down at the prince. "What I do?" he asked.

"If you eat too fast, you will choke. Besides, you should eat more controlled and savor the taste of the food," Viktor said. "Especially if it tastes so good."

Kwen smiled and nodded. "Good thinking, little guy."

"It always worries me when Kwen gets along with someone. Soon they start cursing and fighting so much more than they used to," Mei remarked and glanced over at Xol. "Right, boss?"

"I only fight when I have to," Xol replied in a low voice without even bothering to look over at her clansman. She continued sampling food and fixing items for Ileana.

As they all dined and drank new, delightful foods, Lucia decided to spend time pointing out the people in the dining hall to them. Ileana paid good attention and stored the information away for future reference. Viktor just took it all in with wide eyes and a grin. Ileana's attention was drawn away from her mother as she noticed Xol slurping what appeared to be a soup.

Ileana groaned. "What is that?" She was ready to gag.

Xol shrugged. "Tastes like fish, eggs, some kinda peas, vegetables, spices … string things … I dunno. It's good."

"The string things are noodles. It is a fish stew," Lucia informed them.

"It's good," Xol insisted and held the bowl over for the princess.

Ileana shook her head. "No thanks. The smell is not very appealing."

Xol's forehead wrinkled; it undoubtedly smelled fine to her. Ileana turned her attention back to her mother, who was now trying to explain the different noblemen and Councilmen. So far, she understood that while all councilmen were noblemen, all noblemen were not Councilmen. The councilmen were something like lawmakers, but not quite. They advised the King on matters that their districts needed and wrote up laws that they thought would be good, but it was the King that had the final say. But, the King needed their support or they could stir up trouble. That Ileana understood, but the law part was perplexing.

"Now, explain to me how the Councilmen have anything to do with the laws. This should be the King's whim, should it not?" Ileana asked her mother curiously barely noticing that dishes were being cleared and replaced by new items.

"Our government is somewhat different from the one you know. The King does not hold all of the power. Our country has a history of civil wars, so centuries ago the Ten Orders were drawn up, which are ten fundamental laws of the land. The first Order is that there will be a Council to help govern at all times, even when the country is in chaos. It is a way for the country to function, even when there is fighting over who the king is. It is also helps control any fighting that comes up as a king cannot rule without the Council's approval. The Order allows for the Council to allot powers to a ruler over a period of five years. After five years, if they have not given the ruler all of the powers that he should have, he is not recognized as the true king and the process should start all over again," Lucia explained.

"Sounds like a good way to keep a corrupt man off of the throne," Viktor noted.

Lucia smiled and chuckled. "Ideally it should, but no system is perfect. The Council is easily bought with promises and money and whatever else you can think of. I think as you see it in action, you will understand. Well, if that is your will, anyway. You came off as quite political in your writings."

Ileana blushed. "I do not wish to seem that. Unfortunately, I often find myself involved in politics and I often get frustrated when I become entangled in affairs that I was not invited into," she remarked with a short laugh.

"Illie is amazing," Viktor informed their mother. "You should see her work, Mother." Suddenly, the boy yelped and blushed. "Um … is it all right if I call you 'mother'? It was rude of me not to ask."

"Yes, sweet boy, you may call me 'mother' as that is what I am to you. Now that you and your sister are here, I can be a mother in action as well as name," Lucia proclaimed with a delighted smile.

"We would like that very much," Ileana replied.

"Yes, we have never had the chance to be someone's children," Viktor added shyly, looking at the floor.

Lucia sighed. "I wish I could have done something for you both. Unfortunately, I was quite powerless once your father got what he wanted from me."

"Why did you not at least say goodbye, Mother? I ran after you. I dragged poor Xol through the city to find you. She almost had a heart attack when we left the palace gates," Ileana said, throwing her lover a teasing smile.

"I wasn't the only one," Xol muttered.

Lucia took a deep breath and wiped her eyes as tears welled up. "I would have loved nothing more than to see you, hold you, take you with me. I had no say in the matter. Servants packed my things at your father's orders and I was given an armed escort to the coach. I could barely walk considering the fact that I had just given birth." Lucia turned her eyes to Viktor and patted him on the shoulder. "To such a handsome lad, too, who was almost too big for my body to bear. I was in no shape to try something that would not involve having my throat slit."

Ileana nodded, but Viktor spoke first. "I am sorry you had to go through that, Mother."

"I am sorry that you both had to go through life with just your father. I imagine he has not improved with age if you are running here in fear of your life," Lucia pointed out.

"I will explain it to you at some point, but for now, let us enjoy this feast as our good friends are," Ileana said with a smile, referring to the daijinn. The tribe was making short work of the new food on the tables. There were fresh fruits and raw vegetables with dozens of thick dips and sauces.

"They are enjoying it. That is a good thing. Feasts are meant to be enjoyed," Lucia said.

Ileana nodded and was halted from replying as a strawberry was held to her lips. She wasted no time eating the fruit from Xol's fingers. She was pleased that Xol was not changing her behavior, which was something that she would have done long ago. Ileana did not want to hide and said as much when they established their relationship. She was in love and was loved. If the world could not handle it, then screw the world.

So, conversation continued and the food kept coming. No one spoke on Ileana being fed by Xol on occasion. Her mother barely stared; there were a few curious, lingering glances, but nothing more. Ileana felt that was good, especially since she was going to tell her mother about the relationship as soon as they had a moment alone. She hoped it would go well, but for now, she would enjoy the feast with everyone. After all, there never was guarantee that tomorrow would be as good.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana has that moment alone with her mother, so she tells Lucia about her relationship.


	5. 4: Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Italic speech means that the person is speaking another language.

4: Home

Ileana silently admitted that much of the food at dinner, though strange, was delicious. She and her group followed Lucia's lead during the end of the meal and left while most of the people were still there. Lucia seemed to offer up apologies as she led the tribe out of the dining hall.

"Sorry to pull you away, even though the feast will continue throughout the night. I just figured that you would be tired and I can only put up with so much false smiling in a day," Lucia remarked with an apologetic half-smile.

"It is fine, Mother. Without you in there, we would not be able to hold a conversation, anyway," Ileana replied, waving the whole thing off. "Besides, I think we all need some rest. We have been on the run for weeks and sleeping in the woods or in the coach to avoid trouble. Beds would serve us well."

Lucia smiled. "Great. I have arranged for you all to stay at my villa. It is still on palace grounds, but away from the politics of the palace."

"That should be fine."

"Is it all right if we walk? I think that you would enjoy the scenery and the walk is calming, too," Lucia explained with a soft smile.

Ileana looked toward her group. Xol answered with a shrug and it was decided that they would walk. They traveled through several halls before coming to a large veranda leading to the outside. They were greeted by a magnificent fountain with a statue of what appeared to be the King in full battle armor, most likely from his youth. Water sprang from a spear clutched in his hand and flowed into a lily filled pool. There was a stone path cut through an open, colorful garden that looked like it fell from paradise.

"This whole place is just breathtaking," Ileana muttered in awe as she took Xol's hand into her own.

"Should we be careful not to step in your oozing affections for each other?" Mei teased.

"Do not be upset that you have no oozing affections of your own," Ileana countered with a smug smirk.

Mei laughed and latched her arm around Yu. "I have enough affection, thank you very much, chief."

"I thought I was the boss?" Ileana continued to smirk.

"You're just encouraging her when you go back and forth with her," Xol told her mate.

Ileana knew that to be true, but she needed to have the last word. It was ingrained in her blood. Yet, a gentle squeezing of her hand took her mind off of that and she smiled down at Xol. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around her beloved completely and kiss her senseless. While they were open with their relationship, public displays of that sort were not something either of them desired.

"Are those fruit trees?" Viktor asked curiously, pointing to trees coming into view.

"They are pomegranate trees. My grandmother had them planted. She apparently loved the taste of pomegranates. You will find that any fruit trees around the garden were planted by my grandmother and were foods that she enjoyed. She wanted to make sure her favorite fruits and berries were close by for her to enjoy whenever the whim overtook her," Lucia explained.

"Are there animals wandering the place, too?" Miss Olga asked. She seemed curious, but she also had that usual hint of arrogance that she typically spoke with. Ileana cut the woman a glance.

"None to my knowledge, aside from squirrels and other small rodents," Lucia answered.

They continued down the narrow path, following Lucia. There were lights dotting the way, glowing an assortment of colors and making the garden seem even more alluring. They found that the walkway soon split and they could not help wondering what was down the path that they did not take, certain that there was more beauty to be seen all over the place. There were other twists and turns through the vast, magnificent garden. They went by several fountains, a small pond, and some resting benches. Ten minutes later, the villa came into view.

The villa appeared to be two stories tall. The garden continued right up to the home as did the path. There were white marble stairs leading up to the foyer. There were servants waiting in the foyer, standing on a mosaic of ocean waves. The villa was much like the main palace with white and gold trim while teal dominated the walls and ceiling. There were light frescoes on the walls, showing calming nature scenes and pictures of the sky on the ceiling. There were niches in the walls that contained vases with action scenes or statues of people, but nothing was overpowering about the decor. Nothing commanded the eye for too long.

" _Welcome back, your majesty. We have prepared the rooms as you ordered. Would you like us to show your guests to their rooms_?" a servant girl asked. She was dressed in simple tan robes that lacked sleeves.

Lucia turned to her guests. "Are you all ready to go to your rooms or would you like a tour of my home?"

Lucia was not surprised that everyone aside from her children decided to go to their rooms. Xol stuck around, still holding Ileana's hand. Lucia walked off with her children by her side. She could not help the pleased smile on her face.

"Through the foyer is the sitting room," Lucia explained as they entered the hall. There were couches and tables. It was clearly a place for socializing. There were corridors to the left and right, leading to other rooms undoubtedly.

"You host parties here?" Ileana asked as she glanced around the room, finding it to be as finely decorated as every other room that they had seen in the palace.

"Not often. I may have a small gathering with friends, but a party would be held in the Grand Hall of the true palace. Through here is the atrium. I have a feeling you both will enjoy it," Lucia reported with a smile.

They walked straight ahead, leaving the sitting room and stepping onto a porch in the atrium. It was breathtaking. Flowers and blossoming trees stretched out in the hall that was open to the sky with a circular pond in the center of the room. The water in the pond was so blue that Ileana knew it was not natural, even though there were large, colorful fish swimming in it. Carved benches with flower designs were sprinkled around the place and the trees invited them to sit underneath them and enjoy the warm, brilliant grass. Ileana could picture herself parked against a tree with a book in one hand and the other running through Xol's hair as the daijinn rested her head in Ileana's lap.

"We should camp here," Viktor joked with a smile so bright that it made his eyes shine.

"It is an excellent place to enjoy around noon. Tomorrow we could do it," Lucia suggested.

"I will have to find a book to bring with me," Ileana grinned.

"You will not need it. I plan to talk you and Viktor to death before the week's end," Lucia remarked, unable to stop smiling it seemed.

"Not if we can do it to you first," Viktor said with a smile of his own.

The family laughed together. Lucia then showed them into her bathroom, which was not what the siblings expected. They were used to shallow, small pools for personal bathing. Lucia's bathroom held one large pond, which she explained could be heated by a furnace. There was also two smaller baths, but they were not for bathing as the siblings knew it.

"I know in Fleuriza bathing is just about cleaning ones body, but here it is for relaxation as well. These are the baths that we use for relaxing. The larger bath is much like a lake, but often warm. Different minerals and oils can be put in the water to help relax you. The smaller bath closer to the wall is always cold water. It is often hot here during the day, so that bath is for cooling off. The other is typically if a person does not like the water of the large bath for the day and that bath can be prepared differently. It is a very nice thing," Lucia said.

"Do you do it alone?" Ileana asked curiously. "It would seem lonely to have such a space to yourself."

"No, it is never done alone. You bathe with friends. There is a public bathhouse in the city and almost every town in Chuachin. I suppose the closest thing I can liken it to is swimming. While in Flueriza, you swim in lakes and ponds and such, here we swim in large baths. It is quite relaxing. We can do it some time if you like," Lucia proposed.

"It will be fun to learn your culture, Mother," Viktor grinned.

"I concur," Ileana added.

Lucia only smiled proudly. The rest of the tour went by quickly. There were several little rooms that Lucia showed the siblings. She made sure they knew where the kitchen was and introduced them to the chef and servers in case they found themselves hungry at any point during their stay. She also made them aware of where the toilets were, in case they needed to use those facilities. There was also a gaming room, which had a billiard table. Ileana almost did a double take when she saw it.

"You play this game, Mother?" Ileana asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Somewhat. I had tried to learn when I was younger because I was told it is popular up north and I was promised to your father, so I thought it would do me well to learn it. Is it still popular?" Lucia inquired.

"So much so that Illie and I both play because nobles insist on talking over it," Viktor reported with a smile.

"We have a different sport for that sort of thing. I will show you both if you like later," Lucia offered. Viktor suddenly yawned. She smiled softly as he blushed sheepishly. "I think I should take you all to your rooms. We can talk more tomorrow."

Ileana nodded while Viktor just rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. They went to the second level and found that the bedrooms were all up there. Viktor was dropped off first and entrusted to two servant boys. Ileana would have been uneasy with that, but she noted how Xol studied the pair hard and dismissed them. Apparently, they were all right.

"Goodnight, little brother," Ileana said before kissing his forehead.

"Goodnight, Illie. Xol, you make sure she has pleasant dreams," Viktor playfully ordered.

Xol smiled. "I'll try do that."

The response seemed satisfactory and Viktor disappeared into his room. The now trio walked off down the wide corridor. Ileana found that her room was not too far from Viktor, which set her at ease. She turned to her mother, who she was sure was about to bid her goodnight.

"Come in for a moment, Mother. I wish to speak with you for a bit longer," Ileana requested.

Lucia smiled, not ready to part ways. Ileana wondered how long her mother would be smiling once they finished speaking. They entered the room and Lucia waved away the servants that were waiting. Ileana looked around the room, but only for chairs, not to take in the sight. Very close to them were a small, low table and a pair of equally low lounges. Ileana sat down and her mother did the same. Xol stood next to Ileana and continued to hold her hand.

"Before we go any further, I need you to know something very important about me, Mother," Ileana began.

"Tell me. I want to know everything about you," Lucia declared with an anxious smile.

Ileana smiled, too, and held Xol's hand a little tighter. "Mother, I am in a relationship with Xol, a sexual and deeply emotional relationship. In fact, by her people's customs, I am her wife, her companion for life."

Lucia sat still and blinked several times. She was clearly taking in the information, rubbing her forehead, trying to process what she heard. Ileana wondered if she had been too blunt. Glancing up at Xol, she suspected she had been too blunt because even Xol looked a bit stunned.

"I wish I had been at the wedding," Lucia muttered with a sniffle.

"Wedding?" Xol echoed with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh, Mother, there was no wedding. I am sorry if I made it sound as if you missed something," Ileana said, reaching over to pat her mother's knee.

"No wedding? But, you said you are her wife," Lucia pointed out.

"There was no ceremony, Mother. The title is definitely all on an emotional level and between the two of us. We are open with our relationship, but not quite that open. We would have never been able to get away with that in Fleuriza. I am already certain that Father is going to kill the both of us if he ever gets his hands on us and he thinks that we are only in a sexual relationship and he does not know we are as open as we are," Ileana explained.

"I would never let him," Xol growled and flexed her claws on her right hand.

"Mother, you do not seemed shocked or … disgusted, which I am thankful for," Ileana commented with a nervous laugh.

"I am not, which I know is odd, but it is not. You two were always so close, even as children. I always figured the relationship would carry on through out your lives. I guess in my head, I thought you would end up thinking of each other as sisters or something, but this makes just as much sense," Lucia reasoned with her forehead wrinkled in concentration. She was clearly still trying to take it all in, even if she was not disgusted by the revelation.

"Still, I have never seen anyone take our relationship this calmly. I am actually a little shocked," Ileana admitted.

"Would you like me to shout and scream a little? We can then cry and move on," Lucia proposed with a laugh.

Ileana waved that idea off. "No, I am quite fine with how we are. Aside from knowing we would always be close, it does not bother you that we are two females or that she is a daijinn?"

Lucia shook her head. "I am just happy that you have someone that cares deeply for you and keeps the loneliness away. I only ever wanted that for you. I always feared that you would become as I was in that place. It was a cold and festering feeling that gnawed at my soul."

Ileana nodded and her eyes glazed over with sorrow and understanding. "I, unfortunately, do know the feeling. Father succeeded in tearing us apart for a few years. He tried to separate us forever, wanting to cut Xol's head off."

"Cut your head off?" Lucia asked, squinting and looking confused. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"He was not as understanding when he learned of our relationship. He had been itching for an excuse to end Xol and punish me. In a way, he succeeded. That was the beginning of the end of the girl we called Rose and her transformation into Xol," Ileana answered.

Lucia nodded. "Why the new name, dear? I thought Rose suited you so well."

Xol scratched her head, mussing her unruly ebony and crimson locks. "It's a long story. But, I ended up being the leader of a group of daijinn and when you become the leader, you get a new name. They named me after the sun goddess."

"They named you?" Lucia echoed in a perplexed manner.

"The tribe picks the name of the leader that they think best suits the leader." Xol shrugged.

"And sun goddess best suits you?" Lucia looked curious more than anything else.

Ileana chuckled, wondering if her mother thought that the daijinn believed that the god of the sun was a short, pale frightened mouse of a divine being. Xol merely shrugged again. Ileana expected as much; her lover was much too modest to just ignite her arm for no reason. "I can't just use the goddess' blessing for every little thing," she would say and Ileana could understand. A divine touch was certainly not a toy.

"So, again, Mother, none of this bothers you?" Ileana asked in a bewildered tone.

"Not at all. You will find that our culture is very much different from the north. There are no taboos upon same sex relationships, although we do not go so far as to allow the same gender to get married as daijinn seem to do," Lucia replied.

"Wait, what?" Ileana could not believe what she was hearing.

"Life has many pleasures in it. In summer, a cool breeze gives us pleasure. Good food gives us pleasure. Deep friendships give us pleasure. And, of course, sex gives us pleasure. We believe that you should enjoy life's pleasures as they are there for that simple reason. Of course, it should not be overdone or the pleasure begins to control your life. As long as pleasure is enjoyed in moderation, there is no problem. Marriage, unfortunately, is not about pleasure, though," Lucia commented.

"I suppose that would explain how you came to be married to Father," Ileana remarked.

"Now that is a long story I do not wish to relive at the moment. I would rather enjoy this pleasure of being with my children and getting to know the people who are their friends and have sustained them in my absence," Lucia proclaimed with a smile.

"None of your brothers are married?"

Lucia shook her head. "My father was too busy trying to figure out which one of them to groom into the next king to worry about marrying them off. Massimo was married for a short time, but I was in the north during that time. She died of illness, I believe. There are rumors that she was poisoned."

"Who would poison her?"

"Arrigo or Riccardo, especially if she was pregnant. My brothers are all fighting for the throne and will eliminate any threat. _Any_ threat. If Massimo being married gained him favor with your grandfather, the younger pair would eliminate that which gave him favor."

Ileana nodded to show that she understood. "That is sad. I cannot imagine competing with my own brother. Viktor was king for over a year and I never once thought to take the throne from him. Not that I could since I am a woman."

"You are different from your uncles. My father has mellowed in his old age, but he was once a vicious man who raised vicious sons. Now, they all bite at each other, hoping to gain favor, especially since it is clear my father is preparing to step down."

"Why? Why would he step down?" Ileana inquired and then remembered that her lover was standing on ceremony. She gave Xol's hand a slight tug and the small female immediately sat down beside the princess.

Lucia sighed. "The country is a mess and he has no clue how to fix it. He has finally grown enough to admit it. He had tried fixing what he could and only managed to ruin things further, so now he is just willing to let someone else try and hopefully do better than he did. He just does not know who to give the throne to and he does not want to risk making matters worse. If things continue to collapse, he fears there will be another civil war."

"Does this country truly experience that many civil wars?"

"The last one brought my great grandfather to the throne. There were at least three during the century before he took control. The histories show dozens of civil wars in this country and before it was a united country there were wars."

Ileana nodded. "This is hard to take in, considering Fleuriza has not had a civil war in over five hundred years."

Lucia shrugged. "Two different countries, two different cultures. I think you will settle better here. Your blood seems to boil with your Chuachin heritage, which is why you defiantly ruled with your brother despite Fleuriza teaching that was not a woman's place."

"Are you saying that a woman could rule here?" Ileana asked incredulously. "If that is the case, why does your father not consider you for the throne?"

Lucia shook her head. "I had my fill of politics long ago. Besides, my father had no interest in me when he was training his children to rule. I was pawn to get the country some much needed money and an ally to keep his throne. I was just a bargaining chip."

"It does not sound to me much different than Fleuriza."

Lucia shook her head again. "This was just the way my father was twenty years ago. Had he been a different man, he could have easily raised me and prepared me for the throne. He just chose not to, preferring his sons to me. My great grandfather groomed my grandmother and she ruled. Again, the culture here is very different. I will say that Miss Olga might die of shock, so you may want to watch her."

Ileana laughed. "Miss Olga will adjust. She just takes time and she gets very cranky in between. She is not as bad as she is making herself out to be," she promised.

"She's right," Xol insisted.

"I will take your word on it. Now, I will leave you both to get settled and we can talk more in the morning. The servants are in the adjacent room." Lucia pointed to a door on the right wall. "There is bell by your bedside. It is attached to a long rope that you pull and you ring that if you want your servants. There is one in each room of your apartment. Ask them for anything that you might need. They are very efficient and eager to please."

Ileana nodded. "Thank you, Mother. I look forward to talking more as I do have dozens of questions. Also, thank you for being so understanding. Xol is the most important person in my life. I do not think I could describe the depth of my love for her in a million years."

"I am more than glad that you have a person to have such affection for. Hold onto her, as you have been," Lucia said and then she turned to Xol. "Take care of my daughter, young Xol. Goddess or no, I am still her mother and expect you to treat her with the utmost care and devotion."

"I would sooner die than do anything less," Xol vowed quite seriously.

Lucia smiled again. The mother and daughter exchanged embraces before Lucia showed herself out. Alone with her lover, Ileana took a moment to look around the room and realized that they were in a sitting room. There were shelves with baubles and board games. A painting of a jungle scene hung above the shelves. Behind them were bookshelves that touched the ceiling and Ileana made a mental note to go through those. There was the rope that her mother mentioned that called for the servants.

"The bed's probably through there," Xol said, pointing to the twin doors at the back of the room.

Ileana nodded and they walked through the doors to find that Xol was correct. The bedroom was just as impressive as everything else they had seen of the place. There was the white and gold trim with the shades of blue decorating the room with mosaics and frescos. There were several pieces of furniture, but she ignored those in favor of the bed, which she almost missed because of the design.

The bed was low, like all of the other furniture. It was built almost like a box; it made her think of a rectangular gazebo. There were sheer curtains and regular curtains in between the bedposts, so it was like the whole bed could be blocked off from the rest of the room. They had to step closer to see the mattress and covers.

"It is so low. It will be like sleeping on the ground," Ileana commented. The bed was probably less than six inches off of the ground, held up by sturdy, thick, and well carved legs.

"We've slept on the ground before and it doesn't have a soft mattress," Xol pointed out.

"Well, yes, but it still seems odd. Our bed back home was almost as tall as you," the princess teased a little.

"I think you're just a little culture shocked. I know how that can be. It'll be fine as you get used to it," Xol assured her love. "How about you get your night clothes on while I turn the bed down."

Ileana nodded and scanned the room for her bags. Thankfully, they were not far, sitting by the corner of bed. She would have preferred washing up before going to bed, but she was exhausted. She figured that she could arrange with the servants in the morning about her morning and evening bathing and other habits. Slipping into her nightgown, she suddenly realized that it might be too hot. She noted that the climate of Chuachin was much warmer than Flueriza, even though it was the winter.

"Bed's ready whenever you are."

"I am not sure I can wear my nightgown," Ileana sounded like she was going to burst into tears. Honestly, she felt that way and she was not sure why. It was just a nightgown! Not, even a particularly nice one.

"Oh, love." Xol rushed over to the princess and took her into a powerful embrace. Ileana surprised them both and started sobbing. "It's all right, dearest mate. You're just overwhelmed. The past couple of months have been crazy and now you're in a whole new world and you don't know what to make of it. You don't know your place in it. It's okay to cry."

"How can it be okay to cry? I should be happy. I am free of my father. I have my mother back. I am free to love you in any way that might come to mind. I should be happy!" Ileana sobbed more.

"Are you saying you're not happy?"

"Not if the tears are any indication of things."

"Tears don't always mean sad, my precious moon. You know that. I think your body is just letting go of the tension. You don't have to worry anymore. You don't have to fear for your life, my life, or your brother's life. You're letting all of that go."

"And crying over a nightgown," Ileana added, forcing out a laugh.

"You're not crying over the nightgown. That was just the trigger. But, you're right about the nightgown. It might be too hot for here."

"What am I to do?"

"You don't have any of your summer clothes packed?"

"I am sure I do. I just do not know where. I packed these bags months ago."

"Then let's just look."

Ileana managed a smile and Xol stepped over to her bags. They both slowly went through Ileana's garments and found that she had packed just one slip that she slept in during the short summer of Flueriza. Xol helped her slip into the thin gown.

"What about you?" Ileana asked, sniffling somewhat. She was done with crying, but she was still a little emotional.

Xol's forehead wrinkled. "I'm gonna sleep the way I usually do, with you wrapped around me."

Ileana had to laugh at that; growing up, she never would have thought that her best friend would enjoy sleeping in the nude. Xol stripped without a thought, never really conscious of her body. They then crawled into the bed and found the mattress to be soft, downy-like, but overly not feathers. There were several small pillows at the head of the bed and halfway up the posts at the corners, Ileana noticed the glowing lanterns.

"I think they're like the flameless candles you have," Xol explaining, nodding toward the lights.

"Well, it is nice to know that some things are not culture. Alchemy is apparently the same everywhere," Ileana remarked as she studied the lanterns. She saw that there were sliding shutters that she pulled down and shutting off the light. She did the same with the lantern on the other side and they were cloaked in darkness, except for the lantern light around the rest of the room.

"Want me to get up and close those?" Xol offered.

"No. I think I have this figured out," Ileana commented as she closed the curtains around the bed. Once those were closed properly, they were truly covered in the night.

"Oh, wow. Kinda clever, huh?" Xol asked with a smile.

Ileana nodded. "Much better than having to shut dozens of lanterns."

The pair then settled onto the mattress. Ileana moved around several pillows, not that it mattered since they both knew that during the night, she would move onto Xol. Once she was comfortable, Xol moved a quilt over them since it seemed that it would be all they needed for the night. For a few minutes, they laid there in silence.

"Beloved," Ileana whispered.

"You should sleep, Ileana. You're exhausted. We can talk in the morning," Xol gently insisted.

"I was just thinking … what Mother said about marriage. If we could, do you think you would want to do it? Have a marriage ceremony? Declare to the world that I am yours forever and always?" Ileana inquired with her head already drifting toward her lover's shoulder.

"I'd do it tomorrow if I could. Maybe I should get you a ring."

Ileana smiled brightly. "I would gladly wear your ring, my mate."

"Then I'll have to get you one. I guess when you undoubtedly want to explore the city and such, we can go to the marketplace and look. I have some coins from when I used to work."

"Still? That was over a year ago."

"Didn't have anything to spend the coins on and they were useless when I was with my whole tribe. So, you'll get a ring soon. For now, just get some sleep."

Ileana nodded and found herself falling sleep on command. Wrapping her arms around Xol, she leaned in for a kiss. Seconds after the kiss ended, Ileana was knocked out, the events of her recent life finally catching up to her. Xol remained awake, humming for a while to help relax her mate. Eventually, she settled into a light sleep as well. Hopefully, they were as safe as they felt.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Lucia gives the group a tour of the city and they meet another group of daijinn.


	6. 5: City life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: italics in quotes mean that the person is speaking another language.

5: City life

The morning arrived with air that was warm, but not unbearable, and Xol discovered that the birds of Basilinar sounded rather different than those in Flueriza. They seemed busier and their songs sweeter, but louder. The buzzing insects outside made her ears twitch, thinking that they were flying around her, but as she stopped and waited, she discovered that was not true. Somehow, the insects remained outside.

"Stay," Ileana purred as Xol moved to get up.

"I think it is later in the morning than usual," Xol reported. She was not sure why she felt like it was later, but something inside of her told her that they had definitely overslept.

"Even still, I just want to lie here with you and not think of the outside world. Nothing exists but the two of us on this very soft bed," Ileana said with a dreamy smile on her face.

"It's a nice bed, isn't it? I actually like that the curtains hide us from the rest of the room because I can do this," Xol commented, turning and kissing Ileana deeply.

Ileana returned the affection automatically. They certainly would not have been able to roll around in her bed back in Fleuriza. There would have been servants nearby and they would have entered the room at any sound of noise. It would have just been something for them to tell King Vladimir when he was recovered to try to gain favor or tell some noble who would have used it against her or Viktor. Before she had lost all of her servants, she and Rose at the time could not do anything in bed in the morning because servants would have been wandering through Ileana's rooms.

"This is nice, but if someone is out there they will hear us if we keep this up," Ileana pointed out after their kiss was done.

"There isn't anyone out there. I don't hear them, anyway. They might be waiting for you to summon them or maybe they're waiting to learn your habits," Xol replied with a smile. She leaned in for another kiss.

Ileana grinned into the kiss and rolled over to her side. She tugged at Xol, urging the shorter female over her. Xol settled over Ileana without breaking the kiss. Ileana's hands moved and gripped Xol's powerful back. Unconsciously, her fingers traced the sharp, black bands that crawled all over Xol's body.

"Should we?" Ileana inquired as they pulled away for a breath. Her face was flushed and her lover's was the same.

Xol's answer was to grab the hem of her mate's slip. It had been far too long since they had been together. The shirt was off in an instant and her warm hand was all over Ileana's smooth body just as quickly. Ileana released a long moan.

"Are you not awake yet?" Miss Olga's voice broke their mood and the couple yelped while pulling away from each other.

"Dammit," Xol hissed. Brown eyes glared at her for her language, but she did not apologize.

"I am awake, Miss Olga. Is there something you need?" Ileana called to the pale woman.

"Breakfast is being arranged for us all in the common room. A bath has been drawn for you, so that you may join the rest of us."

"Thank you. I shall see you all shortly then," Ileana replied. She then turned to Xol. "Have you heard her leave yet?"

Large, fox-like ears shifted forward. "Her footsteps are fading and she's opening the double doors … She's gone now. Can we continue?" she requested with a grin.

"Sorry, my love. I think we should bathe and then join everyone for breakfast. We can be together tonight."

Xol growled in a low tone, but relented. Grabbing the shirt that she tore off, she put the slip back on Ileana as the princess sat up. They rolled out of bed and tried to guess which door would lead them to their bath. In the end, Ileana followed Xol, who followed her ears. They walked through a door by the front wall and entered their private bathing area.

There were servants waiting for them and for the first time in years, people assisted them in bathing. The servants tried to have a conversation, but the language barrier was too much to overcome. The servants did show that Lucia had informed them how bathing was done in Fleuriza as they followed that tradition instead of their own.

Ileana and Xol had to dress themselves because the servants were not sure what to do with the Fleurizan garments. Once they were dressed, the servants walked them to the common room where their group and Lucia were waiting. Breakfast was set out on several tables.

"Good morning, everyone," Ileana greeted them as she took a seat on an empty couch. Xol sat down next to her.

"You look well rested, boss," Mei remarked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Considering the fact that she 'slept' three hours longer than usual, she should," Yu actually joined in and went so far as to make the little finger quote marks when he said "slept."

"The bed in my room was extremely comfortable. I am sure Illie's room was the same, so that would explain why she slept so much longer," Viktor commented and they could not help smiling at him.

"I love this kid," Yu quipped, patting Viktor on the shoulder.

"Love him by making sure he keeps thinking that way and keep Kwen from corrupting him," Ileana requested.

"You think cursing is corrupting? Wait 'til he comes of age!" Kwen proclaimed and he actually pounded his chest with his fist.

Ileana glared at the large male. "You will not corrupt my brother," she growled. Knowing that she was serious, Kwen had the good sense to look contrite.

"Boss taking the big lug down a peg," Mei snickered.

Ileana rolled her eyes and turned her attention to breakfast. Nothing looked familiar. She gave her mother a questioning gaze.

"Sorry, my chef was already fixing breakfast by the time I tried to tell him about Fleurizan cooking. But, you should try to get used to Chuachin meals. The food is not terrible," Lucia commented with a smile. "Any good Chuachin breakfast will always have fresh fruit and berries, plain bread, porridge, and filled buns, which can all be dipped in honey or butter." All the aforementioned items were laid out before them.

"Filled buns?" Viktor echoed.

"They are just what they sound like, buns that have fillings. Some are baked, some steamed, and some fried. We almost never have fried for breakfast, though. The style that they are made in lets you know what is inside them. For example, these that the chef has fashioned to look like little animals have berry fillings inside of them. They are usually given to children. I suppose the chef heard that I had guests and thought one of you to be rather young," Lucia explained.

"Viktor does look a lot younger than he is," Mei teased a little.

"You should get used to the buns as they are everywhere in the country. They are easy to carry and are good even when cold so people may have them at any time. They are sold all over the city," Lucia explained. "Speaking of the city, I was hoping to give you all a tour of it today if you do not mind."

"Sounds fine," Ileana agreed.

"Of course since you were going to go wander the place, anyway," Miss Olga commented.

The truth of the statement earned laughs, even from Xol. After that, everyone turned their attention to breakfast. Ileana again relied on her lover to chose her foods for her, even the fruits and berries as some of those were unrecognizable to her. She had to admit that the buns were delicious; well, the ones that she had, anyway. Xol seemed to be staying away from certain trays, so Ileana suspected those she would not like very much.

"Oh, gods, it's filled with pork!" Kwen moaned with delight as he shoved two of the fluffy buns in his mouth. "This is even better than dinner!"

"I don't have the heart to tell him that pork is pretty much a human food and something he should completely and utterly hate," Mei commented.

"Your people do not eat pork?" Lucia asked.

"We don't really eat any domestic animal because we're nomads by nature and it's hard to pack up in leave in a hurry if you need to pack up animals along with everything else. We might eat a wild boar, but that's something different to a domesticated pig bred for the sole purpose of eating it. We're not supposed to eat lamb or chicken either, but goat and duck would be fine," Mei answered.

Lucia's brow wrinkled. "Nomads? Odd, I do not believe the daijinn that live just outside the city move at all." All eyes were suddenly on her.

"Daijinn? Outside the city? What?" Ileana managed to squeak out while the others could only nod.

"Yes, we have daijinn outside the city. They live a few miles away. It is a small group. I think they refer to where they live as a commune or something. I will show you after we see the city if you want," Lucia proposed.

Everyone, including Miss Olga, nodded. The idea that there were daijinn living outside a human city and they were just living there, out in the open was not something any of them could wrap their minds around. Nothing like that could ever happen in the north as the daijinn would have been captured and sold into slavery or killed as soon as someone noticed the commune.

"Try it with honey," Lucia suggested, speaking to Viktor as he started eating a filled bun. He gave it a shot and everyone followed his lead. Breakfast was a warm, joyous affair.

-8-8-8-8-

The group traveled down the hill that the palace was located on. They had to take two carriages, even though the group would not have minded the walk. Lucia just was not sure if she would have made the walk. Besides, the walk back up to the palace would not pleasant after wandering the city. The carriages carried them to the edge of the city and then they were free to walk from there. The coaches would be waiting for them when they were done.

When the group had arrived, they had taken the most direct route through the city to get to the palace. It had been dark and they had not seen much of the place, but there had been a downtrodden feel to it. Now, looking at it from the outside and about to go in, the entire city looked as if it was in despair. It was dreary and grey. They stood at a bridge that went over a canal that cut through the city, separating the palace hill from the rest of the metropolis. The water looked thick, slimy, and almost like liquid, slow-flowing dirt.

"This city is way past its prime," Miss Olga muttered, shaking her head.

"The city has seen better days. Much better days. In truth, the country has seen much better days," Lucia admitted.

"Miss Olga said the country is cursed. Is that true?" Viktor inquired.

"Cursed, no. Unless God thought it was a punishment to place incompetent leadership on the throne," Lucia answered quite honestly.

"Your father has made it like this?" Ileana asked in disbelief.

"No, it would be wrong to blame him completely. The real trouble started about sixty years ago when a plague swept through the country and killed about half of the people. Those that survived the disease were never really the same. Birth rates have dropped dramatically. The lack of people has ruined the economy and my father does not know what to do to change that. We don't have enough labor or farmers or merchants or anything really. My father did little to help when in the beginning of his reign, he plucked taxes from the lowest of the low and put his favorite and equally incompetent friends in places of power. There was corruption for so long around here. Things fell into disrepair and there were not enough workers to fix them and even if there were, there was no money to pay them. Anyone strong enough and smart enough fled. Then there were a couple of wars that he lost. Several of our ports were taken in the battles and merchants avoid the ports that we have left as they fear the plague possibly still haunting our land. So, I suppose one could say we are cursed," Lucia remarked with a shrug.

"I bet Illie could fix this place. She fixed a lot of problems in Fleuriza. Most people do not know she did it, though," Viktor boasted.

Lucia smiled. "How about we see what she would have to fix then?" she proposed and motioned forward with her hand.

The group nodded for Lucia to lead the way. The city was as massive as it was depressing. They could immediately see the affects of the plague as far as the population went. There were some streets that were completely deserted. Wild and feral animals roamed the filthy streets, but there was something fascinating and charming underneath it all.

"The streets here are much wider than in Fleuriza," Ileana noted. She pointed to the middle of the street. "What are those stones coming up from street and connecting the sidewalks, like a little bridge?"

"Oh, those are there to make sure carts do not come speeding through the streets. It was once a problem and those were put an end to that problem a couple of centuries ago. They have to go slowly over those or risk damaging their wagons. It obviously is not a problem now," Lucia sighed.

"Is that all?" Ileana asked.

"No, they are also there because the streets sometime flood in the rain. To avoid drenching your feet and legs, you would cross the street on the raised stones instead of going through the streets," Lucia explained.

Ileana nodded. "Clever. But, the streets look like they would turn to mud at this point if it rained."

"Yes, this would be one of the many issues my father ignored for the first twenty years of his rule. Once upon a time, this city was a sight. The roads, the buildings, the fountains, the canals, all well kept, clean, and functioning perfectly. The noise from the people doing business, enjoying the sites, and just being around would have been able to reach the palace. We would have had people coming from all over the world to trade in our markets, as we are the center of the west. Or were," Lucia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"This place is a dump," Kwen declared. "And I've seen a lot of dumps in my life."

"As crudely as it was put, I am inclined to agree," Miss Olga said.

"You both are free to leave whenever you wish," Ileana hissed.

"Calm down, Highness. Neither of us mentioned leaving," Miss Olga pointed out.

"How is it possible for the city to look like this when the palace is a place of pure wonder?" Xol pondered aloud, earning several looks. "What?" she asked when she noticed the eyes on her.

"You're thinking out loud. Almost talking to us, like an actual conversation," Mei pointed out.

"It's weird," Kwen chimed in.

"Unfortunately, it is a valid question. In the palace, we live like the royalty we are while out here people starve everyday. Everything is hard to come by. Just another problem my father does not know how to fix and quite possibly has given up on trying to fix it. When he first considered fixing things, he meant the businesses to help the nobles and then as he began to realize he was rather incompetent at repairing the country, he went back to that focus. I will show you the main streets and sights of the city and then take you to the daijinn commune and some place special," Lucia told them.

The group did not object, even Ileana, who was normally an avid explorer. So, Lucia brought them to the streets of the city that would have seen the most traffic when the city had bustling enterprise. It was wide and flanked by two wide canals; both the canals and street were packed with garbage now. There were people, dressed in rags, faces smeared with dirt, and watching the obviously rich people with suspicion and awe.

"Watch for pickpockets and thieves. Sometimes, they use children or playful animals as a distraction. You can see there are still businesses on the main avenue, which at one point we called Indigo Avenue. One of our main products was once indigo. In the south, indigo grows like weeds. It made us so much money that it was our national color. The royal family wore it all the time to show our pride in the country and we encouraged others to do the same," Lucia explained.

"Let me guess, no labor force to cultivate the plant into the dye anymore?" Ileana asked.

"No money to pay a labor force either. The country is poor as are all of our noble families. My father refuses to let any foreigners invest because he thinks that it would just be like sending money out of the country, so the indigo goes nowhere. His solution to it was changing the royal color to a light blue and hope that people forget that we once celebrated indigo," Lucia answered.

Ileana nodded. "I could see his point there, but they would at least pay the workers, who would then have money to spend on other things. It might be enough to lift the economy somewhat."

Lucia glanced at her daughter. "My, my, my, you are political."

"I just think that way sometimes," Ileana shrugged.

"My father might appreciate your thoughts on the matter if you wish to continue being active in the political forum. Just beware of your uncles," Lucia warned her daughter.

"Uncles? What have our uncles done?" Viktor asked curiously.

"I will tell you about the palace intrigue when we get back to my villa. For now, we should stick to the tour. Now, this avenue held almost all of the most respected businesses. The best restaurants could be found along here. It cuts the city in half. From entering the city walls, you could walk the whole way and end up at the most important and busiest area of the city, which is the Dragon Square. We can do that if you want," Lucia proposed.

"We're following you," Xol replied and everyone nodded.

"All right. I can still point out important things along the way. The Dragon Square will certainly be busy, even with the city like this. It has our largest market along with business offices, the main library, the high court, municipal offices, and our busiest temple. But, not our most impressive temple oddly enough," Lucia informed them with a smile.

Walking up the avenue was no small feat as the group began getting an idea of how big the city truly was. There were a few industrious persons that held carts and offered rides. They declined until Xol almost leaped at a shady man approaching the group. He turned out to only be a beggar, but it was clear that Xol was on edge and the other daijinn could not blame her.

"Find some honest faces and we can help them as they help us," Lucia remarked.

"How? We do not have the currency for Chuachin," Viktor pointed out.

"I have coins," Lucia replied with a smile.

They continued walking and scanned for "honest faces." When they found some men with open carriages that could hold four people comfortably, they figured that would be enough. The daijinn figured that they would just walk along side the carriage. Lucia did the talking for them while Xol and the other daijinn just looked intimidating to the coachmen as they gathered around. Bared teeth and flexed claws kept the men from coming too close.

The negations took longer than anyone would have expected, even as Lucia showed her money, which the group thought she kept in an odd place. Lucia's clothing, like that those around them, had long wide sleeves, which went beyond her hands. So, they had not noticed that she was wearing her money around her wrist. The coins had holes in the middle and were kept around a bracelet that was latched close to her arm. The men actually did not seem too interested in the money until Lucia upped her offer by several pieces.

"What just happened, Mother?" Ileana asked as they climbed into the first carriage. Xol helped them both in before lifting Viktor up. Miss Olga climbed up on her own, which they knew she preferred.

"He seemed to think that the money was worthless and I had to argue with him about how much food he would be able to purchase for his family depending on what I paid him," Lucia explained and then her attention went out of the carriage, along with the others. They were watching Xol try to take Fry by the elbow.

"Elder, do you wish to ride?" Xol proposed. "Viktor could sit on your lap."

"Don't need no special treatment!" Fry complained, folding her arms across her chest. The others chuckled, knowing she would say that.

"I don't get why you're so insulted by this. You're our tribe elder. Are we such a horrible tribe that you're bothered by having a place of respect with us?" Mei teased, throwing a wink to the chief.

"Ain't old, so ain't no damned elder," Fry huffed. In truth, they all suspected she was probably a little older than Miss Olga. She looked beyond that due to living most of her life as a slave.

"You're older than any of us, though," Yu reasoned. He earned a glare from both Xol and Ileana because that was only going to make Fry more incensed. He was not trying to antagonize Fry like Mei was, but they still would have preferred that he just let it go.

"So, Mother, what are some of these businesses?" Ileana asked in a rather loud voice, hoping it would keep Fry from barking on Yu.

Lucia went back into tour-mode. She pointed out good restaurants and bakeries. There were some taverns, but respectable enough to be on the Avenue. There were wine shops and furniture makers. There was an apothecary, doctor's office, bookstore, a jeweler, fortune shop, clock maker, shoemaker, and several other stores. Lucia was very excited to point out one of the tailor shops.

"That is the royal tailor's shop. If you ever want new clothes, he is the man to see. I would love to have you all fitted for Chuachinese style clothing. I believe you would be more comfortable in our robes than your heavy Fleurizan garbs. Of course, we could just get lighter material and have more clothing made for you in the Fleurizan style if you prefer," Lucia rambled.

Ileana and Viktor smiled. "It is something to consider," the princess conceded.

"I would not mind such robes. They are very colorful and seem like they are comfortable," Viktor commented, earning a smile from his mother.

"And the silk looks very nice," Ileana added. She would not mind trying them on, but she was not sure if she was ready to forsake her whole national identity for some place new, even though she was half Chuachinese by birth. Still, she had spent a lifetime in Fleuriza and the thought of shredding that skin in favor of a new cloak troubled her some.

Xol sensed her lover's distress and took her hand, which was quite a sight as Xol had to reach far for Ileana's hand. "Don't let something as simple as clothes bother you," the short female commented.

"How did you …?" Ileana asked softly.

"You're my mate. I can just tell. Take it slow and steady. If you need to talk, we can talk tonight."

Ileana nodded and the tour continued. Lucia pointed up several streets to explain where they led, like a cluster of inns, game spaces, and the most famous theater in the city, but there were three other, smaller theaters close by. Not too far from there was an arena for sporting events, some of which included gladiator battles and wrestling matches.

"I read about those. They are supposed to be very intense," Viktor marveled.

"Well, I would not like you going to see them until you are older," Lucia commented.

"Why? Are they worse than boxing matches or chariot races? Father allowed me to see those all the time. I went with him," Viktor explained.

Lucia looked incredulous. "Your father took you to chariot races?" Often the crowds at those things were worse than the sport itself and the sport almost always had a death from someone falling from the chariot and being trampled on the track.

"He said that it would build character. It was all very exciting, but the crashes and the roaring of the crowd when it happened was a bit much," Viktor admitted and he went a bit white thinking about it.

Lucia swallowed hard, but decided not to address the issue of Viktor going to chariot races. Ileana wished her mother had said something because she would have backed her mother on that. She had objected each and every time her father took Viktor to those races, knowing the sensitive lad would be disturbed, which he was. He had always liked being around their father, enjoying his attention, but the things that Vladimir showed and told the boy were often sickening.

Their ride ended as they came to the Dragon Square, which was as busy as Lucia said. It was the one place that there seemed to be life without the drear and despair of the rest of the city. Two statues flanked the entrance to the Square; one was of the King and the other was a dragon standing on its hind legs with its long neck craned to the sky. There seemed to be one long, large two-story building that contained offices and other things that Lucia named before; Ileana would call it a long villa from the design. The center of the Square was an open area, but it was full of vendors with stands and canopies covering the stands, protecting the people and products. There were some stands with performers, showing off their talents and hoping to get some coins for their troubles.

There were a few fountains around, keeping the place cool with flowing, clean water. It was one of the few places that they saw in the city with clean water. There were a few other statues around; some of them were images of the King. There were monuments dotting the area, too.

They wandered the market, seeing the many different items offered. Despite the poor look of the city, the market did have several items that Ileana thought looked quite expensive. Lucia explained that nobles sent their servants to shop in the market and they did buy expensive things. They saw several things that they had never seen, did not know how to categorize, and were not sure what to do with them. There were foods there that were the same. It was quite amazing.

They wandered the whole market before Lucia decided to show them inside of the Square. They only walked by the offices, the high court, the library, lecture halls, and even the temple. The temple was something that got them to stop for a moment, though. It was a detached building from the rest of the Square. It stretched a bit higher than the rest of the Square and was decorated with columns, jewels, and symbols that none of the foreigners knew. Inside there were rows of seats, candles, and a shrine in front of a faceless god that Ileana did not recognize.

"You worship a different god," the princess muttered in shock.

"Yes, our religion is very different from what you experienced," Lucia confirmed.

Ileana had to swallow down a feeling on unease. She was also surprised as Viktor took her hand. Glancing down, her eyes found worried brown eyes. She wondered if he was bothered as she was by the huge shift in culture.

"Humans have different religions?" Yu pondered aloud.

"I always thought they were totally the same," Mei commented.

"You thought all humans were the same?" Miss Olga asked with an arched eyebrow. She seemed insulted, which made Mei smile a little.

"Yeah. You guys think all daijinn are the same, right?" Mei countered.

"She has you there," Ileana pointed out. "Hmm … I wonder how these southern daijinn will differ from the tribe you were all a part of up north."

"Probably not much. Daijinn culture has been disrupted and mixed thanks to humans buying and selling us all over the globe. I've met some daijinn from the south and they didn't seem that much different. Damned if I could understand their accents, though," Yu replied.

"This I have to hear," Miss Olga remarked with a small laugh. Considering the fact that Xol was the only daijinn that the humans of the group understood without needing a minute to filter through, they could only imagine what Yu considered an "accent."

Lucia decided that they would go see the daijinn commune since the topic came up. They paid for another carriage and went to the city limits. Lucia had to speak to the guards at the gates before they could leave, but they were allowed out of the city walls. The carriage shook as they moved onto the torn up road. They had to cross a bridge, which they worried about holding their weight. Lucia told them that the river they were going over was where the city canals joined together. The carriage continued shaking down the tattered road, passing by some man-made items that had been swallowed by the jungle. They eventually came to some open land amongst a thick forest.

"This is where the daijinn live," Lucia said, motioning to the few, large, thatched huts several yards from the road.

Xol looked out into the field and blinked rapidly as several images assaulted her mind. Shaking her head, she rubbed her eyes with the hope of getting rid of the pictures. Ileana was by her side instantly, holding her in a concerned, protective embrace.

"Are you all right, beloved?" Ileana asked.

"Yeah, boss, you okay?" Mei chimed in.

"I'm fine. Just … flashbacks," Xol answered. They were few and far in between, but certain triggers put her back to the night a little girl lost her family and died after witnessing her brother slaughtered by a monster's blade. There were times when she could smell the burning flesh, hear the anguished screams, or feel blood raining down on her.

"The daijinn do not usually come out when humans are around. Much of the time, they will send one person out to find out what is going on and that will be it," Lucia informed them and as if timed, they noticed a figure coming out of the huts. The figure came toward them.

He was a large, dark-skinned male. He was not wearing a shirt, but had yellow strips painted across his chest. His hair was long and decorated with beads, making it seem like a rainbow, but it was clearly half chestnut and half blond. Dog-like ears poked up from his hair, fixed directly at them. He was wearing deerskin leggings that were decorated with more beads down the sides and shoes of the same material. When he finally stood before them, they saw that he was almost the size of Kwen. He focused on them all and spoke in what sounded like Chuachinese, but only Lucia knew for sure and Lucia seemed a bit confused by it, too.

Lucia chuckled. "I am sorry, everyone. They have such deep voices and they use tones differently than we do. Sometimes, they even emphasize the wrong tones, making the word something different than what they meant."

"I can act as translator. I speak some of the southern dialect for daijinn," Yu volunteered.

"Could you be any more of a boy wonder?" Mei teased.

"Says the woman that knows every daijinn law, legend, and myth in existence," Yu countered with a smile.

Yu then turned his attention to the daijinn before them. He made introductions, pointing everyone out. The daijinn did not appear impressed and frowned deeply when he set his eyes on Xol. He then seemed to introduce himself and go off into a long monologue. Yu was frowning by the end of it.

"He says his name is Qin and they have no use for those daijinn who parade themselves around as pets or defile the Goddess by bearing her name while bearing the scent of a human …" Yu trailed off as he focused on Ileana. "Well, I don't think I care to repeat what he called you, boss."

"I can imagine," Ileana sighed while Xol growled at him. Qin did not appear impressed.

"He also had some choice things to say about the chief's goddess marks. Of course, he probably thinks they're fake, like we did when we first met her," Yu continued. Qin interrupted, spoke briefly and marched away. "He now says that we should leave because they don't want anything to do with us."

" _Hey, fuck you, too!_ " Kwen called out in the daijinn language.

"I hope he understood that," Mei said.

Ileana sighed again. "Let us just leave. Mother, is there any other thing that you wish to show us?"

"One last thing. Hopefully, it will make up for this. Come," Lucia said.

They were on the road once again, much more somber and subdued than before. They traveled through the thick, though eerily quiet forest until the coach could not go any further. Lucia motioned for them to continue on foot. Miss Olga groaned as they touched down on the soft dirt while Viktor laughed.

"Mother, are you sure you know where you are going?" Ileana asked as she stumbled a bit. Xol stayed close and steadied her.

"I used to come here all the time as a child. I know exactly where I am going," Lucia replied.

They walked for what was probably less than ten minutes, but felt like forever because of the dense forestation. They came to a pond hidden amongst the trees and bushes. The pond disappeared into a cave that probably looked like nothing more than a rocky hill from the other side. Mist rose off of the water, seeming to come out of the cave.

"This was my favorite place as a child. We need to be careful around here, though. We have dwarf crocodiles around here. They only grow to about five feet, but they can still tear an arm off if they get you in the water. Wolves, wildcats, and bears are in the area, too," Lucia told them.

"And you played here as a child?" Miss Olga asked in disbelief. "Apparently, Highness, you did not stand a chance," she remarked, speaking to Ileana.

The princess laughed. "See and you always thought it was my fault."

"What was so special about this cave, Mother?" Viktor asked.

"It is called the Cave of the Sleeping Dragon. According to the legends, a dragon is asleep in the cave and the mist that we see is actually the smoke from his breathing. According to legend, the dragon will only awaken when his true love enters the cave. Hundreds of years ago, the dragon inside awoke and fell in love with a human woman. They had offspring somehow and their children established this country. They were our first monarchs. Our people descended from those children of the dragon and the human. They decided that all kinds would be accepted into our country because they were the children of two races. This is why our country allows daijinn to live in the country and why they are treated better than most other places. Although, I will admit that the treatment has been in decline for generations, which is why they were probably so rude. Soon, I fear we might get involved in slaving," Lucia said.

"It would probably improve the economy," Miss Olga muttered, earning glares. "It is the truth. Do not look at me as if I am lying."

Ileana sighed and shook her head. She focused on the cave and, for some reason, it did set her at ease. She reached out and took Xol's hand in hers. That did not seem to be enough as Xol put her arms around the princess. For some reason, the cave and the story made the move from one country to another seem less monumental.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the group tries to adjust to their new lives in their new country.


	7. 6: Settling in

6: Settling in

The day had been long and Ileana could not help sighing as she laid her head down on the pillows of her bed. Xol took care of closing the shutters of the lanterns and drawing the curtains, cloaking them in darkness. Xol then settled in, but she was more sitting up than lying down. Ileana quickly moved to lean against her lover.

"You know, I like this bed more than the old one," Xol commented.

Ileana laughed. "I am glad one thing has worked out in this move."

"You've seemed bothered by this the whole day. What's wrong, my goddess?" the pale woman whispered. She ran her fingers through Ileana's long, black tresses.

"I find it funny that you call me your goddess when you are the one that has been blessed and gifted by the divine," Ileana pointed out.

"The fact that you return my feelings is nothing short of divine to me and your affections are the true blessing. I hold you in much higher regard than I do the sun goddess as you were there before She ever was. You are beyond wonderful and you are also blessed. Now, tell me what's bothering you?"

Ileana took a deep breath. "When you first left the palace and found your tribe, did you feel as if you were lost at sea with them? Did you feel like you were totally lost while you were amongst them?"

Xol nodded a bit and continued stroking her lover's hair. "To tell you the truth, I have felt that way my entire life. The only place I've ever felt at home is with you. So, whether I was with my old tribe, here, or being insulted by someone I've never met, I've learned to just take it because you're the only person that's ever mattered to me for as long as I can remember. I'm comfortable as long as I'm with you and no person or place can change that."

Ileana frowned. "Now, I feel terrible."

"Don't feel bad. You have a right to miss your home and you have a right to feel nervous about settling some place completely new and very alien."

"I do not know …" the princess sighed.

"I do. You had something that I didn't have. Your home was a place, traditions, a culture. I didn't have any of that. My home is you."

"Why is my home not you then?" Ileana pouted.

"It is, but it is more than that. It's like when we left, you had items to bring. I had nothing. I never had the traditions, culture, values, thoughts that come with all of that. I never had a nation."

"You did, beloved. They were stolen from you," Ileana said, taking one of Xol's hands into her own. She played with the long digits.

"No, they died with the little girl I never was. She's dead, my precious moon. What she had was never mine. It died with her. I'll leave it with her, so she can be at peace. You don't have that and you shouldn't have that, but you should let go because what you left behind didn't value you the way you should be valued. Give yourself some time to adjust to the strange, but new place. It's not so bad here. You have your mother, who adores you and who you adore. I know you do. Hell, I think I could grow to like her."

Ileana smiled and looked up at her lover. "Do you truly think so?"

"I believe so. She frightened me less than any other human when I was younger. Now that I see her through confident eyes instead of frightened ones, I know she's a good person. Some place that has her in the royal family can't possibly be bad."

Ileana smiled even more. "You are right about that. This place … outside of the palace is so dreary, though. Everything is so different. Even the religion is different."

"So? Your mother never said you had to practice their religion. She never said you had to do anything like they do. I'm sure she'd like you to adjust, but she seems fine with you as you are. There's no reason for you to be nervous about anything."

"I know that intellectually, but emotionally, I am still bothered a bit. I was not ready for all of this. It never occurred to me that the south would be so different from the north."

"I thought you traveled and met a bunch of people from other countries."

"Never this far. I have only traveled to a couple of countries neighboring Fleuriza when my father was trying to marry me off to some prince. Most of the diplomats that came to us were also from neighboring countries. They are not so different from us. Not this different." Ileana spread her hands as if motioning to the whole country.

"You'll make it through this. Give it a chance. The food is good, even if it is different. No, we don't speak the language, but we can learn. The clothes, you don't have to get used to if you don't want to. You can stay a Fluerizan if you want."

Ileana nodded and took a deep breath. "Honestly, I think I am mostly afraid of the idea that I do not wish to be Fleurizan anymore. My father never wanted me because I was a girl and has always declared that I reminded him too much of Mother. He thought he was insulting me whenever he compared me to her. My nation even rejected me."

"What do you mean?" Xol asked and then she leaned down to kiss Ileana's head.

"None of the nobles wanted to listen to me when I was trying to help Viktor rule. Before that, the only reason any of them would even associate with me was because I was the princess. They all thought I was odd, even crazy, especially since I always wanted to be with you. I should not be bothered to have left." Ileana rubbed her forehead and sighed.

Xol offered her a small, comforting smile. "You left something that was familiar for something that was unknown. In Fleuriza, you knew what to expect and how to handle it because you've been doing so your whole life. Here, you don't know what to do yet, but you'll figure it out. You're really smart. You'll figure out what you want out of life here and what life has to offer."

"As long as you are with me," Ileana replied, inclining her head somewhat as an invitation for a kiss. Xol took her up on the offer and they had a brief, but passionate exchange.

"I'm never going to go anywhere now," Xol vowed once they broke apart.

"I know. Now, I think we should do something less emotionally taxing."

Golden eyes sparkled. "Oh? Like what?"

Ileana smiled as she sat up, so that she was face to face with her lover. "I will give you a hint."

Their lips met in a slow, sensual kiss. Eventually, their mouths opened and their tongues slipped against each other. Their hands were soon all over their bodies; Xol had to strip Ileana while the pale woman had gone to bed in the nude again. Soon their room was filled with sounds of their physical love.

-8-8-8-8-

The group sat together for breakfast again. There were some Fleurizan foods, but only Miss Olga focused on those. Ileana realized that the move was hard on Miss Olga more than any of them because she was beyond proud of their nation. She was also bred, born, and raised in Fleuriza for her entire life. Ileana hoped that the governess adjusted. She glanced over at Viktor and knew that he would have no trouble.

"Mother, will you walk through the gardens with me today? I would love to see more of the palace grounds," Viktor requested as he dined on what was easily becoming his favorite food – the warm, fruit filled buns shaped like rabbits.

"I would love to. Would anyone else like to join us?" Lucia asked politely.

"I think I would prefer to see your library today. Try to educate myself on your country," Ileana said.

"I'd like that, too," Mei chimed in.

Yu nodded. "Maybe we can learn the language that way."

"The best way to learn the language is speak it and listen to it being spoken. I will help," Lucia declared. "I will speak both your language and my language from now on. Also, I will send you a tutor to help you while you are in the library."

"All right," Ileana agreed.

"Also, I hope you all do not mind, but my father wishes that we start having dinner up at the main palace. He wishes to get to know his grandchildren," Lucia informed them with a smile.

Viktor grinned. "Illie, we are grandchildren. We have a grandfather and he wishes to know us!"

"That is incredible. I look forward to it," Ileana smiled, too.

"I want you both to be careful, though. As I said, your uncles are competing with each other for the throne. I do not want them to think that you are a threat to them. I am not sure how they would react, but I do not wish to find out," Lucia cautioned her children.

Xol growled. "If anybody touches my mate or Viktor, they'll burn for it," she pledged.

"And then they'll be ripped apart," Kwen added.

"They are very protective of you," Lucia noted.

"Ileana is our chief, just as Xol is. They are of one soul as mates, therefore we see her as we see the little goddess," Mei explained. "Viktor is just too adorable to not protect." The young prince blushed from the compliment.

Yu nodded. "We are a tribe. We take care of each other, even Miss Olga," he said with a teasing smirk.

Miss Olga snorted and rolled her eyes. "I am just here to make sure you lot do not get the princess and prince killed," she remarked.

"We've avoided that so far and with this pair, I have to tell you, it's hard work," Mei joked.

Lucia chuckled and that made her children smile. After breakfast, the group split. Kwen actually went with Viktor and Lucia while a servant showed the others to the library. The servant even managed to point out the books that they would be able to read.

"I wonder why your mother has Fleurizan books here," Miss Olga mused aloud.

"They might be stories that she enjoyed. She was in Fleuriza for ten years. No matter how traumatizing and horrible the experience was, it could not have all been bad," Ileana reasoned.

"I hope that is the case as it gives me something to look forward to," the older woman muttered.

Ileana turned to her governess. "Miss Olga, please, forgive me for dragging you all the way down here. I know you loved Fleuriza …"

Miss Olga shook her head. "Princess, as you know, I am not sentimental, so I will only say this once and then deny ever having said it, but I love being where you and your brother are. I am, unfortunately, attached to the both of you and I want to keep an eye on you."

"Thank you, Miss Olga. I appreciate your presence," Ileana admitted.

"Yes, now, let us begin to attempt to learn this accursed barbarian tongue to at least communicate with these godforsaken people," Miss Olga declared.

The princess laughed and turned her attention to the long bookshelves with tomes that they would understand. The library was an enormous room. It had high ceilings that the shelves went all the way up and massive windows to let light and air in. There was a second level to the library at the back of the room that looked like an elevated office space.

Ileana picked a book that seemed to be written in both her spoken language and her mother's language. She decided to see what she could pick up from that. She did not see any chairs or even couches, so she sat down right on the floor with Xol cuddled up next to her.

"You do not want a book?" Ileana asked.

Xol shook her head. "Read to me," she requested.

Ileana nodded and opened the door. She found that the book was not printed in her mother's language, but there were notes scrawled all over it. She wondered if it was her mother's hand that added the notes. It appeared that Lucia was translating terms for herself, probably to get a better grasp on the story as well as the meaning of the words.

The others found books to occupy themselves. Not much time past before a tutor joined them. They were surprised that he spoke Fleuriza somewhat. It was enough for them to get the gist of what he meant and for them to get what he meant. He tried to explain that he knew the language because there once were plenty of languages spoken in Chuachin, back when it was a great nation. There were a sprinkle of people still around that could speak multiple languages, but they were few and far in between. He spent the day with them, helping them through their books and chatting with them.

Lunch was served to the group in the library. Just like breakfast, it was a mix of foods. Miss Olga, not wanting to be adventurous with the meal, stuck to things that she recognized. Ileana was only adventurous with the Chuachin food that she knew and she took some Fleurizan foods also. The daijinn were not picky at all, mixing their foods to their hearts' content.

When lunch was over, they went back to reading and speaking with the tutor. They learned how to introduce themselves in Chuachin thanks to the tutor, who was called Rodrigo Braz. He had plenty of questions for them when they were in a talkative mood and they had the same for him. Yu was especially curious about the clothing and how it was made to fit as it was. Rodrigo explained that underneath his cloth sash were ties to loosen and tighten the clothing. Rodrigo then asked Yu about his own clothing.

"My clothes?" Yu looked down at what he was wearing. He had on both leggings and pants as always. He was also wearing a leather jerkin that he somehow acquired when they were in Fleuriza. "Consider it a statement about our tribe. We're an odd mix," he remarked. They all laughed.

The day passed pleasantly, but they were eventually fetched for dinner and had to abandon their readings, silently vowing to return to their books tomorrow. Rodrigo showed the group to the main dining hall, but parted ways with them there after informing them that he would see them tomorrow. They entered to find that there were noblemen eating in the hall again, but not nearly as many as the night they arrived.

"I guess this isn't a feast," Yu commented.

Ileana noticed the King wave them over. The group went to the large platform that the royal family was dining on. Lucia, Viktor, and Kwen were there already. Kwen was sitting on a separate bench, but still close to Viktor. Space was made for Ileana and Xol to sit near the King while the rest of their group took the other empty couches. The King smiled at Ileana and then at Viktor. He spoke with a grin and his sons' jaws dropped incredulously.

"Your grandfather says that he is happy to meet both of you. Apparently, he has wanted grandchildren for some time now," Lucia said somewhat stunned. She spoke to her brothers, who all shrugged.

"What happened?" Ileana inquired.

"My brothers and I are just stunned that Papa wanted grandchildren. He never spoke about it," Lucia informed them. The King began speaking again, continuing to smile as he talked. "He wants you both to call him 'grandfather' as soon as you learn the language."

Ileana and Viktor both nodded, almost in a daze. "Why is he so excited to have grandchildren?" the princess asked curiously.

"Good question," Lucia commented and she turned to ask her father that exact question. He laughed and replied. Lucia arched an eyebrow and her forehead wrinkled. "He counters our question by asking 'who wouldn't be excited to have grandchildren?' This might have to do with his personality change as he ages."

"What do you mean?" Viktor asked.

"He has gotten much more family-oriented in recent years. About the time that he realized the country was in ruins and also thought he was going to die," Lucia answered.

"He thought he was going to die?" Ileana echoed.

Lucia nodded. "He had some illness that left him bedridden for a month. He had fever dreams for a few days and claimed that God spoke to him. He was being melodramatic, though. He was never in danger of dying. The royal physician had it under control."

"Maybe he knew differently as he was the one who was sick," Viktor considered.

"It is possible, but he did not die and at no point did the doctor think he would. But, whatever was happening with him, it changed him. I should be happy with that, it was that illness that changed him and made him reconsider sending me back to your father," Lucia reported.

"He was going to send you back? But, Father was awful to you," Ileana proclaimed.

"At first, my father did not care and he was furious when I showed up back home. But, after the illness passed, he accepted me back and has been different ever since," Lucia said, glancing at her father as he grumbled something. She smiled. "He is also upset with me for monopolizing the conversation and not including him."

The King began speaking again and Lucia translated. Her brothers joined in and Ileana noticed her mother's gaze narrowed just as little as the three adult princes conversed with them. Ileana decided to observe her uncles while speaking with her family. It was the first time of many that she would be able to do. It was now expected that Ileana and her group would dine with the King and his family every night.

-8-8-8-8-

"So, you were in the habit of throwing your shoes off of your balcony?" Vincenzo asked Ileana, smiling brightly as he spoke. She and Viktor had been entertaining him with childhood stories now that they spoke the language somewhat.

"No child needs high heel shoes!" Ileana declared with a laugh. Lucia chuckled.

"You see your momma laughing? She was just as bad as a child. She would drive her poor momma crazy," Vincenzo reported.

"I was not! Massimo was the bad one out of us," Lucia proclaimed, motioning to her brother.

"I was the bad one? Who let the emus out?" Massimo pointed out.

"You were not even old enough to know I let those emus out of the pen," Lucia argued.

"You released emus, Momma?" Viktor inquired. He had quickly adopted the Chuachin title of "momma" instead of using "mother" as he got comfortable with the language. Ileana would admit that her brother was assimilating much faster than she was. He was even starting to wear Chuachin clothing.

"I was ten. I wanted to ride one. I had seen other people do it," Lucia said as if that explained everything. "Poppa was not impressed and I thought Momma was going to banish me."

"So, she runs away to the Dragon Cave," Vincenzo chimed in. "By the time we found her, her momma was in tears and refused to punish her because she had been so worried for little Lucia."

"Momma always swore those little crocodiles would devour us," Arrigo spoke. He seemed to always have his nose turned up as he talked, Ileana noted. He also had a habit of looking up and to the left when he spoke, as if everything he said was lie, which Ileana found curious.

"It is great that you are so much like your momma," Vincenzo said to Ileana. "I missed your momma's years like this, so I will get to enjoy your years before you go off to have children of your own." Ileana only smiled and was somewhat glad when her grandfather turned his attention to Viktor. "What of you, Viktor? You look like your poppa, I suspect. Are you like him?"

Viktor shook his head. "Sometimes, I wonder if I am even his son because we are so different. From what I can tell, I am also not much like Momma either. I have never released emus," he remarked with a chuckle.

"I will never hear the end of this," Lucia sighed.

"If you are so different from your poppa, why would he stop at you as an heir?" Riccardo asked curiously. Ileana had learned quickly that Uncle Riccardo lacked finesse and it put him at a severe disadvantage in competing for attention from the King with his brothers.

Viktor shrugged. "How was he to know when I was a baby that I would grow into his exact opposite? He tried his best to raise me to be like him, but I am just too different. Some of the things he showed me did not interest me."

Vincenzo grinned and put his arm around the boy's narrow shoulders. "You are like your momma then. Do you dislike politics like her?"

Viktor's forehead wrinkled as he pondered the question. His uncles seemed very interested in the boy now and that seemed to upset the daijinn as their attention subtly shifted to the Chuachinese princes. Ileana put her hand on Xol's thigh and noted how tense the small female was.

"I guess I am just not very good at politics. Many of the things that need to be done in politics do not interest me," Viktor answered with a shrug.

Vincenzo laughed and patted the boy on the back. "Your father did you an injustice then. I made sure all of my boys were interested in politics. You need to know these things for when you have to take the throne. I hear up north, you are the only one who can for your father."

"I am," Viktor confirmed and suddenly his uncles were not so interested in him anymore. The daijinn relaxed and returned to eating.

" _What do you think that was about?"_ Ileana asked, whispering in her lover's ear. She spoke in her native tongue.

" _Maybe they think your grandfather will give the throne to Viktor, but they realized he can't possibly rule here and Fleuriza, so he's not a threat anymore_ ," Xol offered.

Ileana smiled. " _Beloved, how long have you thought so similar to me?_ " She then kissed her lover's cheek. Xol smiled, too, from the little peck.

"So, granddaughter, aside from throwing shoes over balconies, what else have you done?" Vincenzo inquired.

Ileana smiled; she liked that her grandfather seemed to try to pay her and Viktor equal attention. Her father had never done so. Once Viktor was born, Ileana became a stranger to her father. She actually preferred things that way. She never forgave the man for sending her mother away.

"I can be as easily entertained as my brother, I will have you know," Ileana proclaimed, pretending to act high and mighty, but her amused grin betrayed her. She earned several laughs. "I have done a lot of studying in my lifetime and sometimes that was enough to keep me busy." Miss Olga scoffed as soon as the statement was finished.

Vincenzo turned to the pale woman. "Lady Olga, you make it sound as if I should doubt my granddaughter."

"Because you should. That girl there was a handful at all times. I turn my head and before you know it, she was wandering the streets of the city with that one." Miss Olga waved her hand dismissively at Xol.

Vincenzo laughed more. "You are your momma!"

Ileana managed a small, humble smile. It was nice to hear that phrase and it was actually a compliment. It was also amazing to have a male in her life that smiled at her and seemed to like her. _I like having a grandfather_.

"Viktor seems like he is more like me," Massimo declared, puffing out his chest. "The strong, silent type. I am sure he spends much of his time studying, learning all that he must for his future."

Viktor nodded shyly. "Well, I like reading, anyway. I am not sure if I am cut out for ruling my country. I was king for a year when my father was sick and was not very good at the job."

The King and his sons gasped in shock. "You were king? But, you are so young," Vincenzo commented.

Viktor nodded again. "I know. As I said, I was not very good, but Father was so sick. Some times, he would not wake up for weeks and the physicians did not know if he would live or not. It was my duty as his only son to serve in his place."

"That is a heavy responsibility for one so young. I know all about those deadly illnesses, but I was not quite that ill to have to be in bed for a year. How did you manage?" Vincenzo asked curiously.

Viktor then beamed with pride and motioned to his sister. "Illie helped a lot. She did most of the hard work, especially when I did not understand. Miss Olga was also a huge help. I would not have been able to survive without them."

The King nodded. "Ileana, you are much older than your brother. Why did you not fill in for your father?"

"It is not allowed in Fleuriza. Women do not rule," Ileana answered. She could see in her grandfather's eyes that he did not understand what she meant and she doubted that he would be able to fathom it.

"Odd. Well, let us discuss happier things than your father's illness or what your home country does not allow," Vincenzo declared and he easily steered the conversation back to silly childhood memories.

There was a lot of laughter at the table and everyone was included. The daijinn did not have much to add, as they did not have many happy childhood memories from growing up in bondage. Miss Olga spoke often, usually to shoot down Ileana's portrayal of herself as an innocent little girl.

-8-8-8-8-

The night fell and everyone was retiring for bed. Ileana decided to stay up and have a late night snack with her mother. Xol glanced at her lover and knew immediately that she did not need to stick around for the talk, so she went to their room. Ileana and her mother sat down in one of the many office spaces in the villa. Tea and pudding was delivered.

"I still cannot get over that you have pudding for snacks instead of cake," Ileana commented.

"I would have to warn the chef for cake. I think we have sweet bread, though. Have you had any yet?" Lucia asked.

"No."

"We shall try that then with our pudding," Lucia declared and sent a servant for the bread. "Now, what would you like to talk about?"

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to spend time with you alone. Since we arrived here, there has been so much activity. We barely have command of the language and already Grandfather wishes to monopolize our time and then we have to sit back and learn the language and customs."

"It is a lot."

"I can now appreciate what you must have gone through when you came to the north."

Lucia nodded. "It was quite a shock."

"And you were alone."

Lucia sighed. "That I was, but I survived it. No reason to dwell on the past."

"I do not understand that. Grandfather seems like a kind and caring man as far as family goes. Why did he agree to marry you off to Father? It does not seem like something he would do."

Lucia shook her head. "He was a different man then and he wanted things from your father, money being the main thing. Your father paid a handsome dowry for me."

"Why?"

"I imagine he believed the rumor that southern women are more docile than women in the north."

Ileana burst out laughing. "Where would he get an idea like that?"

"It is said that southern women follow orders and are more agreeable than northern women. I am not sure who started that rumor. I think it more has to do with the idea that we are more likely to be reasoned with, but I have yet to meet a docile woman from the south. Some of us are independent to a fault, like me."

"Why do you say that?"

"My independence was the thing your father hated the most about me. Little did he know, that if he ever just stopped and explained why his way was the better way, I would have listened and possibly obeyed. I am not stubborn or hardheaded as he assumed. I am just accustomed to hearing explanations."

"So, a wife here would obey her husband only if given an explanation?" Ileana reasoned.

Lucia shook her head. "The husband would explain his stance on the matter without prompting and the wife would probably go along with. We try to be pragmatic. It is just our way. We cannot just obey to obey. Ideas get drowned out with that way of thinking."

Ileana nodded. "I suppose, but sometimes explanations only eat away the time that one might need to do something. If you need to react quickly, explaining is only taking away precious time."

"I never said it was the perfect system. It is just the way we are down here. It is one of the reasons why we have a king as well as the Council."

Ileana nodded again. "You know, this place is really different from Fleuriza, like it seems like your father was really there for you."

"Ileana, I keep telling you that he is a different man now. When I was younger, he was not there for me. His thoughts on girls were similar to your father's thoughts on women. Women cannot carry on his name on his bloodline."

"He does not think that way now, right?"

"I am not sure."

"But, he knew about your childhood."

"For all my father's flaws, the man loved my mother to death and religiously inquired about her day. Her day was me and my brothers, so my father knows about what we did without ever actually being there," Lucia explained.

Ileana's forehead wrinkled. "I do not understand. Why was her day full of you?"

"Here, children spend all of their time with their mothers until they are about nine years old. Sometimes, they go to school for a couple of hours, but typically mothers prefer to teach their children and spend the day with their children. I was with my mother well into my teens since my father was not interested in my life."

"Wait, you mean here you got to see your mother everyday and spend all your time with her?" Ileana's mouth would have hit the floor if possible.

"Yes, and that was the biggest shock to me when I was in Fleuriza. The idea that a governess or nanny would raise you was far out of my scope of understanding. My mother even had a job, as her family held one of the last few vineyards in the country. She made and sold wine, but she still had to keep us everyday, as that was her job as a mother. When I was small, she would give toys and books to read while she worked at her desk. If she was touring her land, I was there, usually running off and getting into trouble, but I was there. I thought I would be there for you and Viktor."

Ileana leaned over and put her hand on her mother's knee. "Mother, it was not your fault. You were in a completely different place and children were raised differently there. I would have liked to spend more time with you, though."

Lucia grinned. "We shall do that then. When my father is done monopolizing your time, anyway," she remarked.

"Perhaps … you would like to go with me to get measured for some new clothes?" Ileana proposed.

"I would love to," Lucia continued to grin.

Ileana smiled and enjoyed her time with her mother. They spoke for a couple of hours, not even realizing how much time had passed. By the time Ileana went to her room, Xol was actually asleep. Of course, she sat right up as soon as Ileana was standing by the bed.

"Your time with your mother went well?" Xol guessed as she drew back the cover for her lover to get in.

"I did," Ileana confirmed as she eased down onto the soft mattress. She moved until she was lying against the smaller woman.

"That's good. Are you feeling better about being here?" Xol asked before placing a soft kiss to her mate's cheek.

"Much better. You were right."

Xol smiled. "I figured you'd be better after some time here. Now, we just have to stay out of trouble." She chuckled, as if knowing it was impossible.

Ileana laughed, too. "We have been doing fine, beloved. We can continue to do so." She could not even say it with a straight face.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol hangs out with Mei for a while and then goes into the city with Ileana where they have an adventure … or misadventure depending on who is asked.


	8. 7: Getting into a groove

7: Getting into a groove

Xol sat in the atrium, leaning against one of the small tress and staring at the sky. There were a few clouds that floated by, but they did not register to her mind. She was more taking in the smell of the area than anything else. She was just cataloging how Basilinar was different from Fleuriza.

"Hey, chief, where's the boss?" Mei asked as she flopped down next to the much shorter female.

"With her mother and brother," Xol answered with a dismissive wave.

"She has been spending a lot of time with them, trying to soak up the atmosphere of the place. She been doing her duties as a mate?" Mei teased with a lewd grin.

"That's none of your concern. Why don't you go play with Kwen and Yu," Xol snorted.

"Are you cranky because your mate hasn't been spending as much time with you as she used to?" Mei grinned.

Xol cut her clansman a look. "I'll have you know that we both agreed to spend time apart to gather a better understanding of this place. We compare notes at night."

"What are you gathering right now?"

"The smell of the place. Here is the best. It has a friendly scent to it. Up at the main palace, I don't like much. I can actually smell the intrigue. And, of course, I can smell the garbage from the city below."

Mei nodded. "Let's walk around. You can help me learn what to watch for."

"You don't need help with that."

"You're much more aware of everything. That's one of the things that makes you such a good chief. You see angles that even we miss. You sense things and seem like to know what to expect almost all the time. I don't know how. Maybe it's the Goddess."

Xol shook her head. "Not everything I do is because of the Goddess, you know," she huffed slightly.

"I didn't mean to imply it was, chief! I know you are your own person, too!" Mei yelped. Swallowing slowly, her eyes wandered the ground in shame.

Xol waved off her clansman's discomfort. "Don't worry about it. You should just stop thinking that I'm divine or something. I'm not. I'm just one daijinn, one person."

Mei scratched the top of her head and turned up her mouth. It seemed like she disagreed with that assessment, but did not want to say anything to further upset her chief. Xol sighed and waved it off.

"Let's go look around," Xol offered.

"I'm sorry I upset you, chief," Mei muttered.

"It's not a problem. I just hate that you guys look at me as if I can do no wrong. Do you know I spent most of my so-called life cowering, afraid of everything? For most of my life, I wouldn't even speak unless it was to Ileana. I couldn't look anyone in the eye, I whimpered all the time, and I flinched at the slightest movement," Xol said. "That is not divine."

"Chief, you had a rough life. We all know how that can be. You overcame it. Now, you look anyone in the eye. You stand tall for what you want. You fight for what you want. You do incredible things. You just don't know it. Plus, it was that rough life that made you who you are. It was probably that life that allows you to see things from so many different angles. You know how to look at things like four different people, at least."

Xol shook her head. "You're giving me too much credit. Come on, let's go look around." She climbed to her feet and Mei did the same.

"Fine," Mei conceded with a sigh of her own. "Hey, chief."

"Yeah?" Xol replied as they started walking, leaving the villa.

"How old were you when you were taken as a slave?" Mei asked curiously.

Xol glanced up at the much taller daijinn. "Why?"

"You don't talk much about your life, you personally. You act like you only live in the now. Things brought you to the now, though, and I'm curious. We're like a family, so we should know things about each other. I know more about the taller boss than you and I've known you four times as long. Am I diving into forbidden territory?"

"No, not really. I was just born when I was taken as a slave."

"So, you were a baby?" Mei frowned. "That's awful. I was much older, old enough to learn a lot of traditions from my father. He was our tribe's storyteller."

"That explains a lot," Xol remarked.

"You like my stories, especially the ones about the gods. So, you were just born, so you don't even remember your father, do you?"

Xol shook her head again. "You misunderstand me, Mei. When the slavers came to our camp, they killed a lot of people. My family included. I died with them."

Mei's face scrunched up. "But, you're right here, chief."

"I know, but this is a different person. This is the person that was born the night everyone died. This is the person that was born the night that I died."

Mei's face did not clear up. "That is oddly philosophical for you, chief. I don't think I've ever heard you say something even close to profound."

Xol smiled a bit. "And you won't. That's the closest I go to philosophical. I'm surprised you don't have a story to go with it."

"I do, but considering the last topic we discussed, I doubt you'll like it. I'll just say, how do you know you didn't die and the sun goddess decided to put a piece of herself in you to keep you alive?"

Xol scoffed and rolled her eyes. They went quietly through the palace gardens until they came to a place where they could see Ileana with her mother and brother. Mei grinned and turned to Xol, undoubtedly about to say something smart. But, she noticed that Xol was not focused on her mate. Mei followed her gaze.

"You spotted him pretty quickly," Mei noted, watching Ileana's uncle Arrigo. He was standing with some man that they had never made the acquaintance of, but had noticed around the palace. The two men were talking, but they were too far for the daijinn to hear.

"His body language …" Xol did not finish her thought, but she growled.

"What about it?" Mei asked as she studied the way Arrigo was standing. He was tense, but he seemed like he was only watching his sister and her children. Nothing more from what Mei could tell.

"Nothing."

"This is what I mean. You see things that we miss. I don't see anything wrong with what he's doing. It just looks like he's watching and worried that he might fall down the slope."

Xol shook her head. "I've seen this type of thing before, being in a palace all of my life. I never knew what to make of it, but I could see the contempt, the plotting, the thoughts as people were around Ileana or Viktor or even the King himself. I learned to pick up on it because sometimes these people would try to harm Ileana or Viktor or use them. Of course, when I first picked up on it, I was too scared to do anything, but I see it pretty clearly now."

"You were looking out for your mate before you even realized it," Mei pointed out.

"I suppose."

"I wonder if that's how it is when you mate with someone. How strong is that true bond? I mean, I know we say it's like you're one person and you share a soul and everything, but is it really like that? Do you instinctively look for things to protect your mate to make life easier for your mate?"

Xol shrugged. "I dunno. Too close to philosophy," she remarked.

Mei chuckled at that. "Boss, you made a joke!"

Xol rolled her eyes, but did not say anything. Before she could observe more of Arrigo, Ileana waved her down. Mei laughed more.

"She sensed you up here," the taller female remarked.

"Or she looked up and saw us," Xol countered.

"Now, you can't deny that you two sense each other. I know you do. I've seen her spot you in a standing crowd while you're sitting down. You know it's true."

Xol did not deny the charges and began walking toward her mate. Ileana linked her hand with Xol's the moment they were close enough to do so. From then on, Xol and Mei walked with the family through the palace gardens. Xol was more focused on their surroundings than any conversation going on, which was fine since no one expected her to chime in with anything.

"Beloved, what has your attention?" Ileana asked quietly.

"Your uncles are watching you and Viktor," Xol replied.

"Yes, Mother says there is intrigue about the palace. My uncles all want the throne and Grandfather is about to abdicate," Ileana informed her lover.

Xol's face twisted. "Huh?"

"Grandfather is going to give up his title soon and my uncles all want the throne. They might think we are a threat because Grandfather seems so interested in us," Ileana explained.

Xol nodded and scanned the area, locating each uncle in his different section of the garden. They were all focused on Ileana and Viktor, which caused Xol to frown. Ileana chuckled and caressed her lover's knuckles.

"Do not be bothered by it. They will lose interest when they see we are not competing for the throne," Ileana assured her beloved.

"As you wish, my precious goddess," Xol replied.

Xol could not ignore the men, but did a very good job at pretending. Or so she thought anyway. She found out that she had not fooled her mate later on. Later that night, Ileana called her on it when they were relaxing against a tree in the atrium.

"You know, you cannot tense up every time my uncles are within sight range," Ileana pointed out. Xol was lying down with her head in Ileana's lap and the princess was keeping herself busy by rubbing Xol's velveteen ears.

"Why not? Not like they know," Xol countered.

"But, I will know, my love. I do not want you to be on edge in our new home. This is a fresh start for both of us. I want you to be able to relax. We do not have to look over our shoulders for my father or worry about someone reporting to him what we are doing. We do not have to worry about being executed. We do not have to think about politics or a throne or anything. We can simply enjoy ourselves, as we are doing," Ileana said softly and her fingers gently brushed across her lover's cheek.

"I'll try."

"Perhaps we could spend some time alone. Would you like to walk the city with me tomorrow? I want to see the sights again, but Mother and Viktor seem so content here."

Xol nodded. "I wouldn't mind it. I was feeling a little closed in here."

Ileana smiled. "Good to know I was not the only one. I wonder who I inherited this little bit of wanderlust that I have. I know where you got it from, after all," she chuckled.

"Not my fault I just want to be where you are most of the time. I hope I always feel this way."

Ileana's smile transformed into a grin. She eased Xol's face toward her and leaned down to place a kiss to sweet lips. Xol purred due to the contact and sat up some to deepen the embrace. Ileana wrapped her arms around Xol as their mouths opened and they let each other in. When one of them moaned, they realized what they were doing and pulled away.

"I think we should continue this in our bedroom," Ileana suggested with a coy smile.

"I told you I want to be where you are."

"Then come on, beloved. I want you to be a little bit more than just where I am."

Xol's forehead wrinkled, as she was sure there was some message there that she was missing. Innuendo was not her forte, but Ileana's amused smile made up for that. They ended up back in their room where there was no more innuendo. There was not much talking in fact, but there was plenty of other noises.

-8-8-8-8-

"This place is just as depressing the second time around as it was the first time," Ileana muttered as she and Xol stepped over the bridge that separated the palace hill from the rest of the city.

"Just be glad you can't smell it as well as I can," Xol remarked, wrinkling her nose as if trying to dispel the odor.

Ileana chuckled and took her lover's hand. "Poor baby," she teased and kissed Xol on the top of the head.

"It actually has a depressing, sickly smell to it."

"Possibly because they seem to throw their garbage anywhere." Ileana motioned to the canal. The canals would have been something amazing to her if only the water was not black from pollution and they were not packed with trash. "You know, there used to be small boats allowed on these canals," she commented as they started walking.

"You've been reading up on the history," Xol stated. She knew that since half the time she lounged around with her lover, Ileana was reading. The other half of the time when she was working out, Ileana was reading.

"I have. It is so different from Fleuriza, but I am enjoying finding out more about this side of my blood. Now that I am over my initial fear, I find it all so exciting. This was once a great city. It has a wonderful location and I do not understand how they allowed it to come to this."

Xol raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The country is an isthmus. It connects the west and the east. The city itself is located in a wonderful place, right on the edge of the Great In-Land Sea. It is located some place where there should and used to be massive trading."

Xol scratched her head. "So, why does it look like this now? Why isn't it great? Trade should make this place better, right?"

"The plague is what happened. It scared all of the merchants off while killing off almost half of the country's population. Ships were scared to use any of the ports in Chuachin, preferring to either go a little further south or north than chance being infected and taking the illness into other nations. Apparently, some nations have even banned products that come through here and many countries have banned products from here," Ileana explained.

"So, everyone is afraid of getting sick?"

"Yes, they are. A plague like this has not been seen in generations in many countries and no one is willing to risk it. It is incredible for half of a country's population to die. There is also the fact that the lessened population weakens the country in so many ways. The most important is that it is hard to defend a country with so few people. Much of Chuachin has been swallowed by its northern and southern neighbors."

"Wait, we've been conquered?" Xol asked in disbelief.

Ileana chuckled. " _We_? This is your home now?"

"It is your home, so it must also be mine," Xol reasoned.

"Quite right, my love, quite right. Shall we take the back streets?" Ileana asked as they stepped onto the main streets. "I wish to see the true city, not the tour."

Xol shrugged. "Go where you want. I'll follow, of course."

"Is there any place specific you want to go? We can walk to the daijinn compound," Ileana proposed.

"I have no desire to see them and they have no desire to see me."

"Well, maybe if they knew you were the embodiment of the sun goddess and not my pet they would change their tune," Ileana remarked with a smirk.

"I don't flaunt the Goddess' gift, dearest mate. You know that. I use it when I must," Xol declared.

"I know, love. I know."

The couple entered an alley, which was larger than Ileana expected. Typically, alleys and back streets in Fleuriza were hardly enough for two people to walk side by side. In Basilinar, they could walk side by side with plenty of room to spare. Unfortunately, there were piles of filth that made the enclosed area smell retched and Ileana noticed that her beloved looked ready to faint.

"Perhaps we should stick to the main avenues. It seems that these streets are going to be the death of you," Ileana remarked.

"If not her, then possibly you," a voice hissed and then let loose a wretched laugh.

Ileana stopped, which caused Xol to stop. The princess turned around and saw that they were being surrounded by a group of six young men. They were dressed in rags and the largest of them wielded a knife. Ileana squeezed her beloved's hand, just for reassurance.

"Sir, I do not know what you have planned, but I suggest that you take your knife and minions elsewhere," Ileana warned them.

"Yeah, how about you just hand over whatever valuables you got and my boys might just leave you alone," the urchin proclaimed. "But, if you want to make this hard …" He leered at her while the other boys made disgusting noises and motions with their hips.

Xol might not have gotten innuendo, but she certainly understood gestures. A deep snarl tore its way from her throat. The noise got the men to focus on her for a moment.

"Ay, what's this? You got a little pet rat with ya?" the leader teased.

Xol flexed her claws. "You boys have one chance and one chance only to leave us alone or money will be the least of your concerns."

"Please, boys, do as she says. The last man to threaten my life in a dark alley with her around lost his hand," Ileana reported.

"I'll aim much lower with you lot," Xol promised with a sneer.

"Hey, don't think we won't use you for fun, too," he remarked.

Xol growled again; it was a low and dangerous noise. Her eyes narrowed and she cracked her knuckles by flexing her hands. The glare that she gave him practically dared him to do something stupid. He obliged by waving his knife at the princess. Ileana had no problem avoiding the blade and Xol had no problem countering the attack. The guys were laughing before they realized what was happening; Xol suspected the urchins thought she and her mate had flinched.

"Beloved, you are becoming almost like a surgeon with your gift," Ileana noted, eyeing the destruction her love had wrought on their would-be assailants.

The leader smirked. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"No, she's just talking about your hand … or your nub. However you wanna look at it," Xol nodded toward the aforementioned body part.

All eyes went to the ground instead of toward the leader and, sure enough, a hand that still clutched a dagger rested in the dirt. Now, attention went to the leader and he was certainly missing a hand. His wrist had been cauterized shut, but the stench of burnt flesh was quite fresh. Screams followed less than a second later.

"What did you do to me?" the leader hollered as tears poured down his face and spit flew from his mouth.

"Nothing that can't be repeated. Do any of you need another lesson?" Xol inquired. "If not, you should run." She then held up her hand and let a flame dance on her fingertips. The small show of power was enough to send the boys running in the opposite direction.

Ileana chuckled. "Why does that not count as playing with the Goddess' gift?"

Xol smiled. "This gift was given to me to protect you. That is its first and foremost function. I'm never playing with it if I'm using it to protect you."

"Sweet talker. I wonder if that little display made your marks grow. They've moved onto your left shoulder, you know?"

"I wasn't aware. Did I tell you that your marks have almost taken over your whole back?"

Ileana shook her head. "No. I do not even think about my marks since I cannot see them." She was about to say more, but she jumped in shock as several rats ran out from every direction, going to feed on the freshly severed hand. "Beloved, let's move. This is disgusting," she proclaimed and tugged Xol out of the alley.

"You don't like rats?" Xol asked with an arched eyebrow.

"It is not about liking or disliking rats. Their presence so quickly only shows how filthy this place is. This is a huge problem. One of the reasons they probably continue to struggle with illness and rumors of their plague is because of this filth. Someone needs to clean this place up."

"Wouldn't that be a job for the King to hand out?"

Ileana nodded. "It would be. He would either hire people or allow a private company to do so. Still, it would involve needing money that no one around here has."

Xol arched an eyebrow. "Why money?"

"You need to pay the workers. People are not going to pick up trash for free or out of the kindness of their hearts."

"Even if it would better their health?" Xol asked.

"Would your tribe so easily do what was best for them?"

Xol scratched her head. "You have me there. I can't even get the four tribesmen I have left to do something best for them if we're not in a life or death situation. But, you wouldn't have to pay them in money necessarily."

Ileana's chocolate brow creased. "What do you mean? What else would you use to pay someone?"

"Well, when I was in charge of my tribe, we did jobs in exchange for things we needed. A lot of the time, humans would give us money and we actually didn't need it. Gold, silver, jewels were all useless to us. We needed food. We lived on an island that we couldn't really farm on, not plants or animals. We needed food from somewhere and we got it from jobs. These people are hungry. Pay them in food."

Ileana's mouth dropped open. "Beloved, you are so brilliant. I cannot understand how your tribe could so easily walk away from your leadership. That was truly a grand idea."

"It wasn't really an idea. It was just something we had to do. It was common sense and it made life easier for us. It helped us survive," Xol shrugged.

Ileana smiled and squeezed her lover's hand as they walked off. "You are much too humble, beloved. Do you have any other ideas about what you would do about this city, this country?"

Xol shook her head. "I didn't really think about it. You want me to think about it?"

"I do not want to bother you with it if it is not something on your mind. It was just that you seem to think of it as you home, as I do. I want to help our home. Do you?"

"I wouldn't know how to go about it."

"Yes, you would. You already came up with something that would help," Ileana pointed out. "I am sorry, beloved. I do not want to draw you into something that you have no interest in. I, unfortunately, think this often. I see problems and just want to fix them."

"I know. There's nothing wrong with that. But, we should get a better understanding of the problem and also the variables we're working with."

Ileana grinned and hugged her lover close. "You are so wonderful, beloved. You never cease to amaze me."

Xol blushed and they continued on walking through the backstreets of the city. They observed how the people lived, which was often beyond destitute. They past children covered in grim, some naked, and other malnourished. It was heartbreaking and many of the adults were no better off.

But, there were always reminders that things had not been that way. The buildings of the city had descent-sized apartments that could easily hold a family of four comfortably. Unfortunately, many of the apartments were either damaged to the point that no one could live in them, were overrun with wild animals, being used as garbage pits, being used for illegal activities, or full beyond capacity with people.

"This place should not be like this. The potential is still here," Ileana sighed, shaking her head.

"You just have to look over the despair," Xol muttered.

"Well, with your tribe, did you not have to do something similar? Your tribe was living in a cave on the fringe of society. You managed to bring them out of those caves, though. You gave them real lives, homes, and ways to be families," Ileana pointed out with a proud smile on her face.

Xol scratched the top of her head. "I guess …"

"Beloved, you are so sickeningly modest. This is why your clansmen are always bugging you," Ileana commented.

" _Our_ clansmen."

"Yes, it is troubling to get used to. I never thought I would ever have a tribe," Ileana smiled.

"Well, I never thought I'd have a princess."

Ileana giggled at that and tugged on Xol to go in a new direction. They wandered the city for the rest of the day. Ileana could not help noticing the problems and pondering solutions. Of course, she drew Xol in.

-8-8-8-8-

"Do they often disappear like this?" Lucia asked Miss Olga. They were sitting in the foyer area of the villa and waiting for Ileana and Xol to return. Lucia had been pacing, but Miss Olga coaxed her into a chair a couple of minutes ago.

"Often hardly covers it. Try daily," Miss Olga replied with a sigh. "I had hoped with the change in scenery, the behavior would change, but the princess seems quite insistent on killing me with stress."

Lucia chuckled a bit. "Quite the handful, huh?"

"I try to describe her as 'spirited,' but lately I have been honest with her and told her that she is a serious pain in my neck. Her solution was to offer me a massage," Miss Olga said, laughing a little herself.

"Spirited with a sense of humor." Lucia smiled and then looked directly at Miss Olga. "I know we never much saw eye to eye on anything or really cared for each other at all, but I have to thank you for being there for both of my children. Thank you for raising them."

Miss Olga shook her head. "You should not be thanking me for doing my job. To be truthful, I never understood you. I never understood why you seemed to want to do my job for me."

Lucia shook her head. "I come from a completely different culture. Many of the things that you did are expected of a mother to do here. I had looked forward to them. I felt like you robbed me of my duty, robbed me of my time with my daughter. But, I am happy that you were there for her and Viktor. I am thankful that you took your job so seriously."

It was Miss Olga who shook her head now. "It was nothing. I have grown fond of both of them over the years, not that I would ever tell them that. I have a reputation to uphold. I know how you feel, though."

Lucia mouth dropped open and was agape for more time than anyone would consider ladylike. "You do?"

"I feel that way toward the princess' little pet, Xol. Never repeat that mind you. I would not want that to get out either."

Lucia smiled. "More reputation?"

"Yes. I have opinions on things and I would rather those opinions be known than anything else."

Lucia nodded. "You are a strange woman, Lady Olga."

"I feel the same about you. Now, how is it that your father just dubs me 'lady' without finding out my true station in life?"

"He is the King, Lady Olga. Besides, he sees how Ileana and Viktor are with you. We would never look upon you as a mere servant based on their respect for you."

Miss Olga arched an eyebrow that basically said everything in her head, but she voiced it anyway. "Barbarians, the lot of you."

Lucia chuckled. "I think you like being thought of a lady. Be careful lest my father decide you need a manor house and servants of your own as well."

"I would never leave the princess or her brother."

"We know. You followed them here, after all."

"I would follow them to the ends of the Earth."

Lucia nodded and smiled a little more. The conversation was cut short as giggles reached their ears and the saw Ileana and Xol entering the villa. Thanks to the bright lights of the room, they were able to see that the young women were quite a mess. Both older ladies frowned.

"Dare I even ask what happened this time?" Miss Olga hissed, glaring at Xol. "You are responsible for her safety when she is with you. Cuts and bruises means you did not do your job."

"Trust me, Miss Olga, she did more than her job. This city is much rougher around the edges than I gave it credit for," Ileana commented with a smile.

"What happened?" Lucia inquired with concern as she marched over to the pair and inspected them. "Why are you all cut up while Xol hardly has a mark on her?" she asked, brushing a finger over her daughter's marked cheek.

"Because the words 'stay behind me' seems to mean something else in whatever language Ileana speaks," Xol growled at her mate.

"I am sorry, beloved, but there were men behind you, too. I handled them," Ileana pointed out.

"Not before they dared to mark you," Xol huffed.

"Marked her several times. You have those damned flames. You should be able to prevent things like this from happening," Miss Olga declared, continuing to glare at the short daijinn.

"Well, when you find the secret to getting Ileana to stand still and listen, please, pass it onto me, so I can use it in cases like this," Xol remarked.

"Let me call the royal physician to check you out," Lucia proposed and went to ring a bell to summon a servant.

"You were fighting without your swords?" Miss Olga inquired. Of course, that was the only way Ileana could fight now since she lost her weapons as they were fleeing Fleuriza.

"I was able to get one. Unfortunately, I had to pry it from the gentleman's hand and he was rather reluctant to part with it," Ileana replied with an amused smile.

"She was not seriously injured. I would not allow it," Xol promised.

"No, but she is slightly injured and you did allow that. Is that how the daijinn look after people they supposedly love?" Miss Olga spat.

"Now, now, Lady Olga, surely Xol did all that she could and Ileana is a spirited young woman. She is prone to doing what she wishes," Lucia commented with a gentle smile.

"Yes, and this dog should be prone to protecting her," Miss Olga snapped.

"Miss Olga! I will not stand for such disrespect toward my beloved! There were a group of fifteen armed men. I could not in good conscience leave them all to my beloved. I am quite capable of defending myself as well, which you are more than aware of. I just happen to do better when armed," Ileana remarked.

"Fifteen armed men? How in the world did you survive?" Lucia inquired with wide, almost frightened eyes.

"Xol is more than equipped to handle any number of rogues and scoundrels," Ileana boasted while putting her arms around her beloved.

Lucia gawked skeptically at the shortest person amongst them. "How so?" she practically demanded.

Ileana turned begging eyes to her lover. "Come on, love. Showing my mother hardly counts as toying around with the Goddess' gift."

Xol sighed. "It's something that should be used only to defend us."

"This is just so my mother does not have to worry about me when I am out with you. Miss Olga is just cranky, but my mother might genuinely be concerned. She should know that I am in the best hands when left to you," Ileana reasoned.

"She should trust me enough to know when I say I am going to take care of you that I am," Xol replied.

"As you have done now?" Miss Olga chimed in.

Xol huffed. "The Goddess' gift is not a toy."

"Yet you obviously played with it today, not defending the princess as you should have," Miss Olga continued.

Xol growled and glared at Miss Olga, who gave it back better than she got it. Xol turned away after a few seconds and held up her right hand. A flame shot up from her fingers and caused Lucia to jump back.

Hazel eyes were wide and it took Lucia several seconds to form words. "What was that?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"The sun goddess of my people blessed me with her fire, so that I might protect my dearest mate," Xol explained.

"So, you can make fire from your hand?" Lucia asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Xol stated bluntly.

"That was barely a taste of what she can do now," Ileana boasted and she would have continued on, but the royal physician arrived. He saw to her while Xol stood back and watched. Xol frowned the whole time, staring at the bruises and cuts that marred her mate's perfect form. _I can't allow something like this to happen again_ , Xol silently decided.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol and Miss Olga spend some time together. Xol and her tribe have a run in with the daijinn compound outside the city.


	9. 8: Currency of the day

8: Currency of the day

Xol eased away from the villa and the palace grounds on her own. Ileana was spending time with her mother and brother. When she made it to the edge of the palace limits, she found Miss Olga staring into the city. Briefly, she considered just walking on since Miss Olga was not particularly fond of her, but she thought the better of it. Miss Olga was her tribesman, whether she liked it or not.

"Miss Olga, something on your mind?" Xol asked curiously as she slowly approached the woman.

"Nothing to trouble yourself with," Miss Olga answered.

"If it has to do with the fact that you're now living in a land far from home, I will tell you that you'll adjust. You're with people that'll look out for you and help you through it," Xol stated.

Miss Olga cast her a sidelong look. "I have people? Like who? You?" She snorted.

"We're your tribe, Miss Olga. For daijinn, that's family. Big extended family. Ileana is your tribe, too. Talk to her. She had trouble adjusting at first. She was overwhelmed with the move. I know for you it's different because you're born and bred in Fleuriza. But, give it time. You might find you like it here. At least they respect you. Back in Fleuriza, didn't the servants start treating you like you were lower than dirt because you were helping Ileana behave unladylike," Xol pointed out.

The older woman dismissed that with a wave of her hand. "Their thoughts did not matter. I was there for the princess."

"So, now you're here for the princess, but you can also be here for you, too. Get a hobby. See the sights. I dunno. Whatever it is people do for fun." Xol shrugged. "I'm not good at pep talks."

"No, you really are not," Miss Olga concurred. "But, one can only expect so much from someone who seems to have a sentence quota for the day and cannot go over it. I fear that you have used all of your words up today on me."

Xol chuckled and her tail swayed slowly behind her for a moment. "Got a few more in me."

"I see. Where are you headed without your better half?" Miss Olga inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm actually headed out for my better half. You might be able to help. I want to get Ileana some new swords. I'd feel better if she was armed when she was out in the city, even if she's with me."

"You mean _especially_ if she is with you," Miss Olga quipped. "I suppose I could accompany you. Not like I could trust you to get proper weapons."

Xol smiled a little, but did not say anything. She and Miss Olga had probably never spent more than five minutes alone together; and those minutes were probably used to give Xol extreme amounts of pain back when she had her reins. So, they were about to spend the most time together ever without Miss Olga being in complete control.

"Do you know where there is a smith?" Miss Olga inquired.

"We passed a few the other day when we were out there," Xol answered.

"Do you know what style of sword to get her?"

"Nope, which is why you're here. You know weapons better than I do. You know Ileana's preference for weapons better than I do. Hell, you know what she can work with better than I do," Xol pointed out.

"Oh, you actually thought this out? I am surprised," Miss Olga commented seriously.

Golden eyes rolled, but Xol did not say anything about it. They marched into the city and Miss Olga followed Xol through the streets. Before they made it to the first smith, Miss Olga got a chance to experience what Xol and Ileana were getting familiar with. A group of young people approached them, obviously meaning to do them harm.

"If I tell you to stay behind me, would that be just as good as me telling Ileana?" Xol asked as she put her hands up.

"Possibly. I will say that at least I am better at hand-to-hand combat," Miss Olga remarked.

"Then let's take care of this mess and get to the smith."

"I am amazed that we agree on something."

There was no more banter after that. Xol and Miss Olga silently worked through the group, only hurting a few of them before the others ran off screaming in terror, and continued on their way. They did not even bother to comment on the scrimmage. They came to the blacksmith's shop and noted how quiet the place was.

"Perhaps the quality of the work is poor," Miss Olga muttered.

"Or perhaps no one can afford his work," Xol replied.

Miss Olga rolled her eyes to that. The shop was hot, as expected, and the smith was as unoccupied as they expected. He was sitting down and enjoying a snack, which consisted of a filled bun and what smelled like beer. He did not even glance up at them until Miss Olga cleared her throat.

"Do you make it a point to ignore all of your potential customers? I can only guess what sort of slipshod work you do," Miss Olga commented. She spoke perfect Chuachinese as far as Xol was concerned and she could only wonder how the older woman got so good in such a short period time. But, then again, as far as she knew, all Miss Olga did was read in her spare time and she conversed with Lucia in Chuachinese for practice.

The smith grunted and glanced up at the ladies. "Not a dress shop," he pointed out.

"No, instead it seems to be a sloth ranch. Or perhaps a rude man that enjoys running off potential customers. Come, Xol, I do not think this man wants our business," Miss Olga stated calmly.

"Uh …" Xol was not sure what to say and decided against it when Miss Olga turned to leave.

"Get going anywhere. Not like anyone wants your money," he huffed.

Miss Olga arched an eyebrow and turned to him. "What do you mean no one wants money? What sort of place is this?"

"Have you not looked around? Money can only buy you baubles. I don't need baubles," he huffed.

"What do you need?" Xol asked curiously. She had a feeling that she knew the answer.

"Food to feed my family," he declared.

"I can do that. If I wanted you to make me two blades, how much would you want in return for it?" Xol asked.

"Two blades? What style?" he countered. He was interested enough to put his lunch down.

Miss Olga stepped up to describe what was needed. He had several samples to show her. She tried and tested each one without her face changing. Xol was impressed with how indifferent Miss Olga seemed with everything despite the fact that she held onto some swords longer than others. She studied some more closely than others, but her facial expression gave nothing away.

"We have other shops to try. If their work measures up, you will not see us again," Miss Olga informed the smith before leaving. Xol followed behind her. "I am stunned that you did not ruin that in some way, like offering him everything he wanted without knowing the quality of his work."

"Believe it or not, I'm not completely stupid. I did manage to keep a tribe alive for several years based on the barter system," Xol pointed out.

"I know, but I assumed you dealt with fools."

Xol chuckled, knowing that was the closest that she would get to a compliment with Miss Olga. They managed several other blacksmiths, but Miss Olga decided that the first would be best for the blades that she wanted forged. They returned to the small shop. Miss Olga then described to him what style of weapon she wanted.

The smith nodded. "A deer for each blade."

"A deer?" Xol echoed. She could do that with little problem.

"A male deer."

Xol nodded. "One before the blades are forged and one after."

The smith held out his hand and Xol went to shake it. She knew that in Chuachin a handshake involved actually grabbing the wrist rather than actually shaking a hand, so she made sure to do that. The deal was sealed.

"I'll start as soon you bring the first buck," the smith stated.

"See you in a day then," Xol said and she walked out with Miss Olga right behind her.

"You plan to take down a three hundred pound animal on your own within the day?" Miss Olga inquired.

Xol shrugged. "I'll take Kwen with me. He'll like the bonding time."

"Just do not come back swearing any more than you already do. The princess is not impressed with your foul language. If you are going to be her lifetime companion, you should hold yourself to a different standard."

Xol smiled and nodded. They returned to the palace to find that they were both missed. Ileana grilled them on where they went and why they were together, but they did not surrender any information. Eventually, Ileana gave up.

-8-8-8-8-

"Hunting deer, how exciting. This was a rite of passage in my tribe, you know?" Mei commented as she, Xol, Yu, and Kwen stalked through the dense woods outside of the city. The group frowned.

"Obviously you didn't go through the damned rite of passage or you'd know that your damn talking isn't helping," Kwen pointed out.

Mei was going to retort, but shared looks from Xol and Yu got her to keep her mouth closed. They continued through the thick brush, silently following their leader. Xol moved through the trees like a fish through water. They knew it was practiced behavior from when they used to live on the island in the middle of the lake. Xol used to spend dozens of hours a week patrolling the surrounding forest to make sure they were always protected.

They had been out for a couple of hours already, but it took another hour before Xol spotted their quarry. They could tell that she had something as her ears pointed forward; they had been spinning in every direction until then. She pointed out where she wanted the trio to go and they were off, disappearing into the dense forest. Xol flexed her claws before moving closer to their prey.

The attack was swift. Xol ran at the buck from the side and sliced into the flank of the deer. By the time it realized it was hit, Mei and Yu were taking out the other side and the legs. Before the buck could turn, Kwen had it by the antlers and was twisting the animal's neck. The buck bellowed as it fought against Kwen, who held it tightly. Xol returned to slice into the beast's neck, severing the jugular.

"This was messy," Xol commented as she stepped away as the creature bled out.

"Yeah, hunts typically are," Yu said. "We should bring one down for us. Been a long time since we've had deer." His ears now shifted, as if he was about to look for another animal.

"And who's carrying this extra deer?" Xol pointed out.

"Well, I got this one," Kwen declared, holding up the dying beast's head.

"That's all we need for the payment on the swords," Xol reminded them.

"Why does the taller boss need swords anyway? I mean, we're all here and she's got you and she kicks ass without 'em. If anything, we should get Viktor some swords. I mean, I barely trust that kid to blow his nose by himself," Kwen remarked.

"Yes, but which of the two are more likely to get into trouble while blowing their nose?" Yu pointed out.

"The taller boss is pretty much a trouble magnet. I wonder if she was born under unlucky stars or something," Mei mused aloud.

"Maybe she's cursed, like her country, and it would explain why she has to be in a tribe with you," Kwen quipped. "Doesn't explain why we have to suffer, though."

"Clearly we're all cursed," Yu stated.

"Kinda goes against the boss being blessed, though," Mei argued.

"No, I'm clearly cursed," Xol agreed while marching off in the direction of the city. The trio followed her, continuing to yammer on and on about nothing in particular.

"You can't possibly be cursed and blessed at the same time, can you?" Mei mused aloud. "I guess one god could like you and another god could be annoyed with you. But, then wouldn't the blessing and the curse cancel each other out?"

"If you look at the chief's predicament, I would guess they both just happen simultaneously as she is stuck with us and she can use the blessing whenever she wants," Yu reasoned.

"Well, I think that hardly counts as a curse," Mei argued.

"Yeah, the boss loves us," Kwen teased, going so far as to blow kisses at Xol.

Xol was saved from the trio by an unlikely source; she noticed they were being stalked. Putting her hand up, she signaled for her group to be alert. They kept up their silly banter, but now listened and watched carefully for an ambush. They also followed Xol, who was slowly taking them closer to the people watching them.

"Yu, why don't you carry this damn thing? I want in on the fun," Kwen chuckled.

"Hey, you were the big guy that wanted to lug the thing," Yu pointed out.

"You get all the fun," Kwen complained.

"You got to snap the deer's neck!" Yu countered.

"I only held it while the boss cut the throat. Totally different thing," Kwen argued.

Xol sighed and decided to stop the playing around. "We know you are out there and we're closing in. Show yourselves!" she ordered and her tail sort of lashed out like a whip.

"You pissed her off," Mei whispered to Kwen.

"Well, at least I get to watch her take it out on others," he remarked and that earned him a chuckle from his cohorts.

"You're in our woods. How dare you make orders to us?" Qin demanded as he stepped out of the brush.

"Last I checked, no daijinn owned the land," Mei declared. "Our chief has more of a claim to this place than you do."

"We've lived here for longer than any of you have been alive. This is our land," Qin stated.

"We can settle this in one of two ways. The first and easiest, we all go on our merry way. The second, you stand in our way and we go through you," Xol informed Qin.

"Careful, the boss doesn't suffer fools lightly," Yu warned the other daijinn.

"Not true. She puts up with Kwen remarkably well," Mei joked.

"You dare threaten us on our own land, little pet?" Qin growled and his tail whipped around angrily.

Xol rotated her right shoulder as she stared Qin dead in the eye. "It's your decision. Do you want to attack us without cause or justification? I promise you that'd be a mistake. This land you want to believe so badly is yours wouldn't stay that way for much longer if that were the case."

"Do you really think your human master cares that much about you, pet?" Qin inquired with a haughty glint in his gaze.

"Why don't you make a move and find out if I even mean my so-called master," Xol dared him. He frowned and stepped closer, but not too close. She inclined her head slightly. "This doesn't have to end in a pissing contest. All we wanted was a buck, which we have. We're leaving now without violence. Come." Xol waved for her clansmen to follow her.

Xol actually turned her back to the other daijinn and walked off. Her tribe blinked several times before they realized that they were being left behind. They trotted off after Xol, who did not bother to turn around, even though she could hear the unfriendly daijinn shuffling around behind them. They made it back to the city unmolested.

"Way to stare that bastard down, boss," Yu said.

"Yeah, how dare he call you a pet! Fucking moron doesn't even know he's disrespecting the Goddess embodied!" Kwen huffed. "You should've set his stupid ass on fire."

"The Goddess' gift is not a toy, nor is it a weapon to use when insulted," Xol argued.

"How do you know, boss? Has the Goddess told you exactly what she wants you to do with the gift? For all you know, she could have wanted you to set all of those assholes on fire," Kwen pointed out.

"As the Goddess embodied, she would know the Goddess' will as it would be her own. It is her decision alone when to use the solar tears," Mei informed Kwen.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me," Kwen remarked.

As expected, Mei and Kwen got into an argument about Xol's use of her gift. Yu chimed in occasionally to support Mei. Xol just pressed on until they got to the blacksmith's workshop. He was busying himself by studying some of his tools.

"Hey, first payment," Xol announced, causing the smith to turn.

"Damn, don't you make any noise!" the blacksmith complained.

"Very little. Here's the buck," Xol stated, motioning to the deceased animal.

"Had to get some help killing it, huh?" the blacksmith commented as he noted the three daijinn with her.

"No, the boss killed it," Mei assured him with a smile. It was not a total lie.

The blacksmith looked at Xol and his eyes widened a little. Xol did not dispute Mei's claim, knowing it was made to make Xol seem incredibly powerful to smith and make sure he put any ideas of ripping her off out of his head. Of course, Xol could have done that on her own, but Mei knew that the chief would not have bothered with it.

"This is a massive animal," the blacksmith commented as he studied the buck.

"Yeah, so I expect perfect blades," Xol stated.

"Definitely."

Xol nodded and stepped out of the shop with her tribe on her heels. They returned to the palace and went their separate ways. Xol immediately found her mate and quietly stood by her side as she walked with her mother, brother, and grandfather.

-8-8-8-8-

"I cannot believe he actually made two swords for two deer carcasses," Miss Olga commented as she and Xol walked the streets of the city. They were headed to the blacksmith to pick up the weapons. Xol had already given him the second buck, but he wanted to add some things to the swords.

"His family needs to eat. I think he sold the hide to a tanner. The antlers are probably going to be used in some project," Xol replied.

"Still, incredible."

Xol shrugged; it made sense to her. She knew what it was like to have to eat, after all. They made it to the workshop without being harassed; it was a first. They stepped in to find the smith was finishing up his lunch; they had a knack for showing up when he was eating.

"Why is it that you two never seem to get here after noon?" he asked with a chuckle as he shoved the rest of the filled bun into his mouth.

"Is that the venison that you will probably be eating for the next fifty years?" Miss Olga commented, turning her nose up.

He chuckled again. "It is very good venison. It's been a long time since I've had something of this fine quality. My children have been smiling since I took this job. I think you two might be smiling to by the end of this. Let me show you the finished pieces."

The smith hopped up and marched over to a table in the corner. There was a black case sitting on it and he pulled it over. Popping open the latches, he revealed the fruits of his labor. Xol, who did not know much about weapons beyond what it felt like to be on the business end of them, could not help letting out an impressed exhale as she stared at the swords. Miss Olga was actually speechless for several seconds despite the fact that her mouth was moving.

"What do you think?" the smith asked with a smirk, as if he knew exactly what they thought.

Miss Olga reached into the case and freed one of the weapons from the box. It was different from the machetes that Ileana had wielded before, even though it was almost the same length. The sword was only two feet long. The weapon in her hand was clearly a sword, though; a single edged weapon with a sharpened tip. The weight was perfect, light for the princess to use swiftly and precisely. Somehow, the steel was kissed with a hint of blue, which was the royal family color of Chuachin.

"Why the teal?" Miss Olga inquired as she examined the blade.

"It has the bite of a dragon," he boasted.

Miss Olga made a non-committal noise and continued her inspection. The hilt of the weapon was intriguing. The grip was much longer than she expected, nearly ten inches, and she easily figured out that it was to allow for the sword to be handled with one or two hands. There was an indigo cloth braided around the grip to make holding onto it easier and a long, slender dragon was painted onto the light blue material. The pommel was a half circle design and just enough to stop a hand from sliding from the grip if the cloth was not enough. The guard had horns rising up from it, but upon closer inspection they looked like teeth. It would be good for catching swords against it and twisting weapons away from enemies.

"Do you know who you made this for?" Miss Olga asked curiously as she read all sorts of little tidbits that he had pressed into the sword. Several things seem like small prayers and blessings.

"Her loud friends let it slip the last time they were here. Most of the adages on there are typical of swords, gifts, and items going to the royal family. The one on the blade might be a little interesting, though. The big guy told me to put that in," the smith explained.

"Which big guy? The loud one?" Xol asked, even though she doubted that.

"No, the quiet big one," the smith replied.

Miss Olga turned her attention to the inscription, but did not read it aloud. Xol turned up her mouth and Miss Olga chuckled wickedly at her. Miss Olga then turned her attention back to the sword.

"You actually put these jewels in the hilt for just two deer carcasses?" Miss Olga asked incredulously. In the hilt, there were alternating deep red garnets and blue topaz stones. In the pommel there were more topaz stones.

"The dragon eyes. They see all enemies and will protect the wielder. Just like the dragon teeth," he explained and he reached out to run his finger along the spikes coming out of the hilt. "The blade itself is typically viewed as the dragon tail."

"And this sapphire in the center of the guard as well right at the base of the blade?"

The smith nodded. "That was the quiet big guy again. He said something about the swords being for the moon. I wasn't sure what he meant, but those represent the moon. I also put the high waves in the blade to represent the water, which is drawn to the moon. You see?" He traced the waves along the sword.

"You are an artist," Miss Olga said with a nod.

"I can only work with what I'm given. Xol here was pretty good at describing who was going to have the swords without telling me who the person was," he said.

"Xol?" Miss Olga echoed and then scoffed. "Yet all of the good ideas came from Yu."

"Not at all," the smith argued, but he did not go any further when Xol shook her head. He took the hint.

"Scabbards?" Xol asked.

"In the case. Take the whole thing. I included straps, so they can be worn on the back, but they can also be worn on the hip. She can figure out which is more comfortable for her to wear," the smith answered.

Miss Olga went into the case to see the sheathe design. The scabbard was dark blue with symbols of the sun and moon on them. There were gems in the sheath as well and gold around the locket and tip, which were both designed like serpent-like dragons. There was black rope wrapped around the top of the scabbard and a loop, in case the sheath was held in a hand or could be put through a belt possibly.

"All of this for two deer? Is venison such a commodity?" Miss Olga wondered aloud.

"It is when most nights you eat rats, stray cats, and feral dogs," the smith answered.

Miss Olga actually balked for just a second. Xol knew the older woman could not imagine such dining habits. Miss Olga did not know what it was like to be half-starved, desperate for food, and to be willing to do almost anything for it.

The sword was placed back into the case and Xol shook the smith's hand. He grinned at her as she picked up the case. She and Miss Olga took their leave without another word. They walked silently for a while before Miss Olga broke the quiet.

"What suggestions did you give to the smith for the swords?" the older woman inquired.

"She wants to be a member of this country, so I wanted traditional blades. I wanted the crest of this place. They seem to be fond of dragons, even considering themselves descendants of a dragon. I wanted her new colors, as a member of the royal family. I wanted weapons that showed she belonged here," Xol explained.

"She is not just of this place."

"No, she is also of my clan and tribe, hence the sun and the moon. She is my moon."

"And when will you present these to her?"

"When we return. I will give them to her at dinner."

Miss Olga nodded. "I suppose that is not so barbaric, as they are a gift."

"You know, there's nothing that says your culture is the right one."

"No, but the fact that it makes the most sense means something."

Xol actually laughed at that, even though she knew that Miss Olga was serious. She doubted that she would ever understand the former governess. She did not think too much on it, though. As Yu once told Mei after Kwen had gotten on her nerves, "You can't pick family and the reason for that is you'd never pick the people you have if you could." The line was right up there with his other favorite, "the gods work in mysterious ways."

-8-8-8-8-

Xol found herself somewhat in agreement with Miss Olga about giving a gift at dinner now that she realized everyone was there. It seemed almost awkward to her; it did not help that she had never given Ileana something in front of people before. It also did not help that she had never given Ileana something so big before. As a child, all she could get her hands on were baubles and flowers, so swords were a step up. Still, taking a deep breath, she got her mate's attention.

"Yes, beloved?" Ileana asked as she turned away from her mother in order to face her lover.

"I just want to present you with this gift on behalf of our whole tribe," Xol explained as she held up the case.

"Don't try to give us credit, boss! The whole thing was your idea," Mei declared.

Xol rolled her eyes and leaned in to whisper to her mate. "They helped a lot. Don't believe them when they act like they didn't."

Ileana laughed and accepted the case. She wasted no time popping it open, especially when she noticed all eyes were on her. She yelped in surprise and quickly pulled out both swords.

"Oh, my goodness. Beloved, these are extraordinary," Ileana breathed.

"Which let's you know I had help getting them," Xol remarked.

"You can fight with those?" Massimo asked skeptically.

"I'm used to broader blades, but I will certainly practice and make sure I am sufficient with them. Thank you so much." Ileana leaned over and kissed Xol on the cheek. The small daijinn smiled and had to swallow down a purr.

"Uh … we helped," Mei joked, pointing to Yu and herself.

"A lot," Yu added in with a smile.

"Oh, now all of a sudden you helped. I thought the whole thing was Xol's idea," Ileana teased them.

"Can't blame us for trying. You know what happens when we see you with swords," Mei argued.

"I told you, you never saw that," Xol growled and her ears shifted, pointing toward the pair.

Mei and Yu just nodded, not wanting to upset their leader. Dinner went on as usual in terms of there was a lot of conversation, but the King and his sons were now very interested about Ileana and her swords. It bothered Xol, who was tense through out the meal. The tension kept Ileana from answering anything in depth, but she had her own questions later that night when they were in bed.

"Do you still mistrust my uncles? Is that why you get bothered when they speak with me?" Ileana asked Xol as she cuddled into the hard, warm body of the pale woman.

"I know you see the suspicion in their eyes and the slither of their body language," Xol replied.

"I do, but I am not a threat to them. They will see that eventually and we will not have to bother with them. You do not have to make yourself sick over it."

Xol frowned. "I just don't like it."

"It will be fine. Now, tomorrow, how about we go into the city? You no longer have to worry about defending me tooth and nail now that I have proper weapons again," Ileana pointed out with a smile.

"Now, you're just looking for trouble."

"No, now I am looking to enjoy the city without having to worry about being a burden to you. So, shall we go?"

Xol sighed and smiled. She ran her fingers through Ileana's soft, ebony locks. Ileana smiled and snuggled closer.

"You know I can't deny you, so we'll go out tomorrow and explore the city some more," Xol replied. They had been out a few times, but the harassment often got so annoying that they cut their trips short. Hopefully, things would be different now.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana and Xol get their first taste of Chuachin politics.


	10. 9: Politics of the day

9: Politics of the day

Ileana had taken to wearing garments native to Chuachin and she was starting to appear like a native. Her chocolate skin tone helped; it used to be something that set her apart in Fleuriza, but it was common in Chuachin. Her pitch black hair did get some stares as that was not something often seen in Basilinar, but it made her recognizable, which was a good thing. She also had an odd, "northern" accent that people found charming; Viktor and Miss Olga had the accent, too. Ileana was memorable, so when she and Xol went out into the city, after a while people knew not to bother her or Xol.

"Shall we go eat, beloved?" Ileana proposed, walking arm-in-arm with Xol through the streets of their new home city.

Xol shrugged. "Do you want to go to a stand or sit down somewhere?"

"I want noodles. What about you?"

"Sounds good. A stand then?"

Ileana nodded and they walked to an area of the city where there were still local vendors. They had learned that once upon a time, the city was full of vendors, food and goods. Now, they were only found near the theaters and the arena, places were people with money flocked. The couple was familiar with the area now and knew many of the vendors by name.

"Drusilla and Fedele are out. Let's go see what they have," Xol suggested, pointing to the stand.

Ileana nodded and they walked over. "Good day," she greeted the pair.

"Good day, duchess," Drusilla replied.

Ileana carried the title of "duchess" in Chuachin because her mother was the princess of the realm. Apparently, the title came without any land, mostly because she was technically a foreigner. It was the same with her brother, who was called "duke" instead of prince because their uncles were the princes. Only the children of the reigning monarch could be a prince or princess.

"We have hard boiled eggs today. Business has been booming," Fedele boasted he pulled out two bowls.

"Eggs? With noodles and pork?" Ileana asked. She was still adjusting to the food of the land, but was definitely more adventurous.

"Once upon a time, it would have been just noodles and rats, which we would have lied about," Drusilla commented.

"The first time it was rats," Xol grumbled, wrinkling her nose as she remembered their first encounter with their now friends.

"It was all we could afford until you two showed up. We get a lot of business now from the nobles around here and can afford pork. Yes, it's the cheapest meat around here, but it is a step up from rats," Fedele replied.

"Who would have thought that just the fact that the duchess and her best friend stop to talk to us would get people over here?" Drusilla laughed a bit.

"Does that work for the others, too? We eat at Ageria's stand and Paolo just as often," Ileana pointed out.

"I'm sure it does work for them. We were able to go to the market place for the first time in a long time. Funny enough, we blew most of the money on proper bread. It was so long since we had real bread," Fedele stated with a happy smile.

"It is nice that we could help you receive such a small pleasure," Ileana said.

The two vendors nodded. Ileana and Xol had learned from talking to many people that they rarely went into the market place because they could not afford many of the items there. The market was not very expensive as far as Ileana understood it, but it was beyond the reach of many people. Much of the business that happened in the city between regular people had to with trading items, even in the market place.

The market place was an interesting area and the couple went there when they were done with their meal. There were plenty of things there, like fruits and vegetables, many of which the couple had never heard of or seen before coming to the country. They had sampled many of them and found them to be delectable. Then, there were the crafts, which Xol marveled at while Ileana found plain interesting. For them, the market showed glimpses of the city that existed long ago. There were still things to be had in Chuachin; it was just a matter of how to get them.

"Hey, you want a fur wrap?" Xol asked, pointing to the stand.

"You would probably have to trade them your whole outfit for that," Ileana remarked. Of course, because of Xol's lack of fashion sense, her whole outfit was not much, but it was made from the best materials.

"You have money. They might take it," Xol said.

"Oh, so I would be buying myself a gift? Perhaps I should be looking into marrying a prince. At least he would be able to buy me nice things," Ileana teased.

Xol pouted and her ears dropped a little. "I don't get … money …" she grumbled and scratched her head.

"Oh, beloved, I was only playing. I do not want anyone beyond you. Always you," Ileana purred. She leaned in closer to her lover; the sword on her hip bumping Xol in the side.

"I would like to buy you nice things …"

"Do not worry over it, my love. What you do for me now is plenty. I do not need gifts beyond the two that you have already given me. Come, I wish to see the exotic animals. Afterwards, shall we go to the Dragon Cave for a moment? Just to be alone?" Ileana suggested with a coy smirk.

"We would be safer alone in our room."

"I am aware. I do not wish to ravish you in the dirt, my love. I would like to sit with you in your element."

"My element?" Xol echoed with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, your element. You obviously do not realize how you are when we are amongst nature. It is so clearly your natural environment. I do not know how to describe it. I think of you like a big cat just existing in your territory," Ileana tried to explain.

"Big cat?" Xol parroted while subconsciously flicking her ear. It did not help that her tail swayed slightly.

"I mean no disrespect, of course."

"I know, I know, but I still don't get it."

Ileana only smiled. They walked through the market for a couple of hours, admiring the goods and animals. Ileana liked the animals because they always wandered to the front of their cages, as if to inspect Xol. After a thorough stare-down, the animal would back off. Xol did not seem to notice, but things such as that made Ileana feel like Xol's natural environment was the wild. Strangely enough, it happened a lot in the wilderness, but the animals would never come beyond ten feet of Xol.

"To the cave now?" Ileana inquired once they went around the entire market.

"If you want," Xol replied.

"What about what you want?"

"I have what I want. I'm here with you. That's all I ever want or need."

Ileana smiled. "You are so sweet, beloved. Perhaps we could skip the cave and go right back to our room. I know you definitely enjoy that."

Xol grinned. "I'd be some kinda idiot if I didn't."

"I would be the same. So, shall we skip the cave? We could go tomorrow."

Xol's nod was almost eager. Ileana laughed; her lover did not ask for much, so when it was clear that Xol wanted something, Ileana was eager to provide it. So, they skipped any other exploring for the day and returned to their room at Lucia's villa. They spent the day relearning each other's bodies.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana tried, but failed to contain a moan as Xol bit into her shoulder. Xol was behind the taller woman and they were lying in bed on their sides. Ileana moaned again as soft lips pressed against her neck.

"Love … love … we have to get up …" Ileana hissed as frisky hands wandered her form.

"Why?" Xol asked, tongue lapping at her mate's neck.

"Because … we have to eat …"

"I intend to."

"No, it's time for breakfast. We need to get up," Ileana tried to insist. It was hard to believe her when she was arching into questing hands and angling her head so that Xol had more access to her neck.

"Don't wanna …" Xol would have continued on if only Ileana's stomach did not decide to growl that very moment. The noise actually made the short woman yelp. "Oh, right, we haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon," she recalled.

"Yes, so now we have to get up," Ileana stated.

"I suppose." Xol sighed.

Ileana chuckled and turned around, so that she was facing her beloved. Wrapping her arms around the strong body, she smiled. Xol smiled in return, which earned her a light kiss.

"You always act as if this is the last time we will ever be together. I know why that is, but you have to believe that we are all right here. You have to believe that we can finally be together in peace. Even if not here, then somewhere else. You are always my first priority, love. I will never leave you," Ileana vowed.

Xol smiled again, but it was a sorrowful expression. "I just think … I think about how easily I lost you. I couldn't bear it a second time."

"You will never lose me and I will never lose you. We are in this together forever, beloved. Where you go, I go. Just as you would do anything for me, I would do anything for you," Ileana vowed and she kissed her mate softly again.

Xol sniffled to prevent tears from falling. "Well, right now, we should go bathe and then have breakfast."

"Agreed."

They finally freed themselves from their bed and went to get cleaned up. Since, arriving, Ileana had slowly accepted some of their bathing rituals; not many, though. Servants scrubbed the couple and rubbed them down with oil before they entered the bath. She knew that traditionally in Chuachin, aside from being scrubbed down several times, almost half a dozen oils were used and thoroughly wiped away before entering the bath. The bath itself tended to have much more than water in it, like perfumes, flower essences, and other pampering items.

When the bath was done, they dressed. Xol wore a plain, short-sleeve shirt, as always. The pants that she wore had been cut at her ankles; they were men's style pants of Chuachin. Not much thought ever went into Xol's wardrobe, even when she had options. Ileana figured once they were really settled and she figured out just what Xol's style was, she would get her beloved into dressing better.

Ileana had changed into wearing Chuachin robes not too long ago. Like many things in her life, Xol decided the change, without the smaller female even realizing it. A few weeks ago, Ileana's mother had the royal tailor at the villa, fitting Ileana just for one outfit in the Chuachin design and several others in what Ileana was used to wearing. The way Xol stared at her in the flowing robes that were tied to show off her curves, though, was more than enough for her to get over a dozen outfits in the Chuachin design. Xol had not stopped staring yet.

Once Ileana was dressed, they went for breakfast. Everyone was already gathered around the tables that were covered in assorted morsels. Ileana and Xol sat down and immediately noticed someone was missing.

"Where is Viktor?" Ileana asked.

"Your grandfather came for him earlier this morning. He had a meeting with the Council and thought Viktor might like to tag along since whether he likes it or not, he will one day rule a country. Unless, of course, your father remembers that a man can always make more children as long as he has a woman to bear them," Lucia explained.

Ileana nodded. "And where is this meeting?"

"The translation to that is, 'I have to leave and make sure no one is taking advantage of my brother' just in case you have not picked up on her very delicate language," Miss Olga remarked.

"No, no, no. I am learning, Lady Olga," Lucia replied with an amused smile. "Ileana, you cannot barge into a Council meeting. Viktor will be fine. Your grandfather will not let anything happen to him."

"No, but your brothers might misconstrue this whole thing and then Viktor could be in danger. So, where is this meeting?" Ileana inquired once again.

"Ileana, my brothers …" Lucia sighed. "You know, I cannot even vouch for them. I have no idea what they are capable of. The meeting is at the Gathering Hall. I am sure you have seen it many times in Basilinar."

Ileana nodded and rushed away from the table. Xol was hot on her heels. Lucia sighed and rubbed her face with her hands.

"Perhaps it was good that I was sent away. I am clearly not very good at this mothering thing," Lucia lamented.

"You're fine. The taller boss is just overprotective," Mei argued. Lucia nodded, but did not look very convinced.

-8-8-8-8-

The Gathering Hall was not too far from the palace, but the couple still needed to get to the city before they could get to the Hall. The Hall was close to the Dragon Square and Ileana was told that it was impossible to miss. Ileana was in a rush, so they rode horses. Xol on a horse was a sight to behold and Ileana added riding to the list of things that she would have to do with her beloved when they had the time.

Their horses were trusted with waiting attendants as they rushed into the Hall. Thankfully, many officials and such knew Ileana by sight and had no problem pointing her to the main hall to find her grandfather and brother, not that they really needed direction; Xol had no problem picking the scents that were barely an hour old. The couple made their way to a large room where King Vincenzo was holding court with what appeared to be fifty Councilmen.

"Ileana, duchess, come," King Vincenzo beckoned his granddaughter as soon as she walked through the door. He waved her through the sea of Councilmen and over to him. He was sitting on a high throne with Viktor sitting at his feet on the platform.

"Uh … yes, sir," Ileana answered awkwardly. Her eyes remained on her brother. She understood why he was sitting where he was as a place of respect and closeness to the King, but it concerned her as her grandfather was showing such treatment of Viktor in front of their uncles. The uncles were seated with the Councilmen instead of the King.

"Sit here. You might need a chair because of the dress," Vincenzo realized. A small, folding chair was quickly placed to the side of the King. Ileana took a seat and Xol stood behind her, surveying the crowd of Councilmen and the Kings sons. Vincenzo smiled. "I wished for you to come with us, but your servants told us you were still sleeping when we arrived this morning," he informed Ileana.

"Yes, yesterday was a tiring day," Ileana commented with a smile.

"Now, I know you have no need for politics, but I know how you love to be included into things with your brother. He assured me that you would be quite interested in this, also," Vincenzo said.

"Interested in what, Grandfather?" Ileana asked politely, pretending to turn all of her attention to the King. She trusted Xol to watch the crowd, but she needed data, too, so she skimmed them whenever she could.

"We have been discussing the country, the city, and how we need to do something about the dire situation we still find ourselves in. It is a mere brainstorming session. These men are here to hear ideas or lend ideas as to what can be done to help get the country back on its feet," the King explained.

Ileana nodded. "It does sound interesting, Grandfather. I would love to stay."

"Then we are happy to have you, duchess."

King Vincenzo then turned his attention back to the crowd. Ileana focused for a while, but eventually began shifting in her seat. Her face tensed and her brows furrowed as she listened to the men speak. There were so many ideas, too many ideas in her opinion. Glancing up, she noticed how her grandfather looked as perplexed as she felt, almost lost. She could understand why.

"Grandfather, perhaps you should address one problem at a time," Ileana suggested in a low voice. Her uncles all turned to watch her as she spoke and then glared at her as soon as Vincenzo paid her some mind.

"I would prefer to hear all of the problems before deciding what to tackle. I need to be able to prioritize," the King replied.

"I know, but as I watch you, I see you are trying to figure out what should go at the top of your list. Just pick one and work on it as you wish," Ileana proposed.

Vincenzo smiled. "It does not work like that here, duchess. We have to hear all of the problems and the Council will vote on the one that we work on after I make a proper list of it."

Ileana's forehead wrinkled. "Has this been working?"

Vincenzo smiled, as if patronizing his granddaughter. "It has worked since the country has had a Council, so for a couple of hundred years."

"Sire, I understand that you enjoy having your grandchildren here, but I was to understand the duke and duchess were only going to observe," a Councilman said and then he motioned to Ileana as if she were an object. "She is interrupting."

"The duchess does not know the customs of our land as well as we do. She will continue to observe," the King announced and then leaned down to speak with Ileana. "Ileana, please, just listen. You may speak with me when this is all said and done."

Ileana nodded and returned to listening. Once all of the problems that the men had were out in the open, there were now suggestions as to how to fix them. Most of the suggestions were easily argued down because there was no money to do them. Ileana sighed as she listened, wishing that they would just pick an item and move on.

"This country has too many issues," Ileana muttered.

"Oh, and you left a dazzling paradise up North," her uncle Riccardo challenged her.

Ileana almost yelped, not realizing she had spoken aloud. "No, Fleuriza had more than its fair share of problems. A rising poor, mistreatment of slaves, corruption, and economic issues that may never be worked out until it can export something meaningful. The thing is that my father has little desire to fix many of the problems in Fleuriza. Grandfather, on the other hand, wishes to manage and fix the problems here."

"I do," Vincenzo chimed in.

"And, you are doing all you can, Poppa," Massimo tried to assure him.

"No, Grandfather, you are actually doing the least you can do," Ileana argued. The crowd gasped and murmurs quickly began.

"Girl, do not think that because you are my sister's daughter that you can speak to my father any way that you please!" Arrigo declared and actually placed his hand on the weapon on his hip.

Xol growled, but was calmed by Ileana taking her hand. The now duchess spoke calmly, "I mean no disrespect at all, Grandfather. I feel like this is something that because I have fresh eyes and ears can see it from a different angle."

"What do you mean?" Vincenzo asked curiously.

"You all want to do this by tradition and every problem is equally important to you, so it seems overwhelming. Worse still, every problem seems to need money to throw at it, which you do not have. For me, having not dealt with this for years and heard the same thing for years, I can see it differently," Ileana explained.

"And how do you see it?" the King inquired.

"To me, it is all not an emergency. I can also pick and decide on a problem because I will not lament the others for now."

"And why is that?"

Ileana sighed and shook her head in shame. "Part of my inheritance. I am not all my mother."

"What is it you would do then, granddaughter?" Vincenzo requested gently.

Ileana smiled a bit, even though she noticed her uncles scowling at her. She imagined that even when her grandfather's heart was in the right place, he was not a good ruler, as her mother had explained several times. He had no practice at it and no talent for it, which she would eventually learn was too true.

"I would first focus on cleaning the capital as well as any other towns, especially our sister city of Ro Ryuon. The capital and Ro Ryuon are quite possible the two most important cities in the country and they need to be functional in someway. At least if every place is clean, then health might improve and you will not have to continue to worry about the plague returning in small batches and illness continuing to wipe out the population," Ileana reasoned. She imagined that most settlements in Chuachin were probably as filthy as the capital and to her that was the first thing that needed to be addressed. No one would want to come to some place unclean, so if they wanted to get trade back, they needed to clean up their act.

The room was silent for a moment and then her uncles laughed. The other Councilmen joined in. A brave soul then asked a question. "And how would you propose we do that, your grace? Shall we enslave everyone to clean and neglect all other jobs? Next, we all order them to fix the roads and buildings since they have nothing better to do and all citizens will become our servants!"

"They may do things like that in the north, but here people have rights, Ileana," Massimo hissed.

Ileana rolled her eyes. "Many of your citizens are unemployed."

"Your point?" Riccardo demanded.

"You have to start somewhere and you cannot make excuses. I am not suggesting we enslave anybody, but you have to do something about the trash," Ileana pointed out.

"Oh, then how about we make an edict to imprison all persons who do not pick up their garbage? We would have most of the city in chains by nightfall," Arrigo remarked.

"Your mocking me does not solve your problem," Ileana pointed out.

"And your playing monarch and pretending to be better than we are and smarter than we are only wastes time and shows your ignorance," Massimo spat.

Ileana frowned and King Vincenzo had clearly lost interest in what the duchess was saying. He was now paying more attention to his sons as they tore down what Ileana said. Xol then chimed in, backing her mate's play.

"It is much easier than you all believe. You simply offer a loaf of bread to every person that shows up with a certain weight of garbage," Xol reasoned.

"No one asked your opinion, jinn! Your words are meaningless here!" a Councilman declared.

Xol knew who spoke, but did not address the man. She also ignored his use of the word "jinn," which was a slang term used by the Chuachin when speaking of daijinn. It was not quite to on the same level as being called a "dog," but it was something like being called "boy" when actually a man.

"Her words are far from meaningless. The idea could be just what you need," Ileana argued. "You need to listen to opinions other than your own. Xol has actually been able to use food as a bartering tool with people in the city."

The King blinked and turned to the short female. "Is that true?" he asked.

"True and easy enough to be done. A small task deserves a small payment. Bread would get you workers, but it wouldn't bankrupt you. I bet if you just used the grain from the palace you could pay people in the city," Xol replied.

"This would never work!" a Councilman objected.

"I've seen it work," Xol argued with a scoff.

"You have?" the King inquired.

"I have. I used it. Clean up the city like Ileana said and offer bread to any person that brings a set amount of trash. Offer no more than that, though. Things like this can get easily out of hand," Xl advised. She had learned that the hard way when she had a large tribe. She had started out offering too much food for simple work with her tribesmen and they, of course, did not correct her. She had to correct herself.

"If what you say is true, then why not use this payment for something else?" Vincenzo proposed.

"Grandfather, again, one step at a time. Cleaning would be a much better idea," Ileana argued.

"Poppa, you cannot seriously be considering this! Advice from a jinn and a girl who has barely been in our country for a month?" Arrigo shouted incredulously.

"Not only that, but a girl that barely knows our culture or country? She is a foreigner!" Massimo added in.

"A foreigner from the north, who think that we are nothing but barbarians," Riccardo chimed in. "Besides, what evidence do we have that something this ridiculous would work? Nothing is that easy! Bread to clean? No one would go for that!"

"It would be a waste of time and effort, Poppa," Arrigo agreed.

"Sire, the princes all have good points," a Councilman near the front concurred.

Vincenzo nodded. "Perhaps you are all right, but I would be remiss to try almost anything at this point," he said and then he turned his attention to his granddaughter. "Duchess, since you feel so certain about this, I will put this project in your hands. You may try and see with my blessing, but I have to worry about many other problems."

Ileana nodded, but sighed. Taking Xol's hand, she squeezed it as thanks for backing her idea. Xol squeezed back and then looked down at her mate. Golden eyes promised to help as best she could. They then sat and listened to the rest of the meeting. Ileana went back to frowning; it was definitely too much talking and not enough action. She had seen that before; nobles in Fleuriza used to try to talk Viktor's ear off about things and only served to delay him in anything that he tried to accomplish.

-8-8-8-8-

"Why did I say anything?" Ileana sighed as she, Xol, and Viktor exited the Gathering Hall.

"Because it is in your blood, Illie. You have ideas and you have to speak," Viktor reasoned with a kind, understanding smile.

"Good ideas," Xol added.

"Do you really think offering bread would work?" Ileana asked.

"It should. I've been doing good in the city with getting things just trading meat." Xol shrugged and laughed. "I like this system. I can get you a lot of gifts without money." Of course, she could not do anything spontaneous, but well thought out gifts were easy enough for her to trade for.

"I was wondering why after the swords, you suddenly showed up once with a bracelet and then delicate golden gauntlets for me," Ileana said with a smile.

Xol smiled, too. "We'll help you."

"Yes, Illie, we will definitely help. I am happy that we can do more than just wander the palace. It was a bit troubling to know people were suffering and we were doing nothing," Viktor informed his sister.

Ileana grinned now. "My compassionate little brother. I think you will make a fine king some day."

Viktor beamed from the praise. "You would be a fine ruler, too. Now, let us show these people that you know what you are talking about. You too, Xol. I cannot believe they just tried to write you off. You were practically a queen."

Xol waved his indignation away. They had better things to worry about than getting outraged over being written off. They had to plan how they were going to get things off the ground and how they would pull it off.

-8-8-8-8-

"Ileana, what is this I hear about you challenging the Council and Chuachin traditions? I do not want my brothers angry with you!" Lucia shouted as she entered Ileana's chambers. She was in the small sitting room, which Ileana was using as an office. Ileana was lounging on the couch, jotting down things on some parchment.

"I did not mean to get involved, Mother. It was just I know how talking over the same thing can get you nowhere. They needed action and no one had anything. I do believe that Grandfather might be incompetent, too," Ileana confessed.

"I am sure he is, but he is not the one you have to worry about. If my brothers think that Poppa is interested in you, you know you will be in danger! I have only just gotten you back these past few months and I could not bear to lose you or Viktor now," Lucia declared with a tremble in her voice.

"Mother, do not fret. They have no interest in Viktor if they are worried about me and I can take care of myself. Whatever I cannot handle, Xol will take care of," Ileana tried to assure her mother.

"You are but two people! They have servants, soldiers, and Councilmen backing them! You could be poisoned at the next meal!"

Ileana shook her head. "It would never happen, Mother. Xol would smell that a mile away."

"Xol is not with you every second of the day. Where is she now, in fact?" Lucia demanded.

"In the bathroom getting cleaned up. She fell from her horse on the way back. I have never seen a person ride a horse as poorly as she does," Ileana remarked with a laugh. "I promise not to eat or even touch anything until she returns."

"Is she all right?" Lucia asked with concern.

"Only her pride was injured, which is why she is alone. She did not want my help as she was embarrassed that I witnessed the fall. Poor dear fell right into a pile of dirty rags. She was green by the time she crawled out, sick from the smell."

"Poor dear indeed."

"But, I will tell her of your concern and promise to remain by her side until I am safe."

"How can you staying by her side keep you safe? Xol is but a small thing. Yes, she could smell poison, but what if they just send men to assassinate you in the night? What could Xol do against five men?" Lucia asked in a panic.

"Mother, did you forget that she defended me with ease against large groups when we were in the city?"

"Those were not professional, trained warriors!"

"Mother, please, calm down."

"I cannot lose you again!" Lucia began crying, which got Ileana off of the couch. She moved and embraced Lucia, realizing for the first time that she was actually taller than her mother.

"Mother, you will not lose me. There is nothing to worry about. Grandfather did not take me seriously during the meeting and again, Xol will protect me," Ileana vowed in a low tone.

"She cannot …" Lucia sobbed.

"I can," Xol said as she stepped into the room. Hazel eyes immediately went to her. "I know I don't look like much, but I would never let anything happen to Ileana. She's my mate. She's half of my soul. I can't let anything happen to her," Xol tried to explain.

"How could you stop it? No offense, Xol, but you are just one small person," Lucia sniffled.

Xol took a deep breath and looked to the ceiling briefly. "I know I am one small person, but I am also one small person that the gods have seen fit to bless me with the ability to protect my mate from all danger."

"Oh? And how is that?" Lucia asked skeptically. "Just because you make a little fire with your fingers?" she scoffed.

The pale young woman held up her right arm. Her goddess marks were on display from her hand to her elbow. The thick black lines seemed to pop with flames. Then, fire danced on her fingertips and claws. Lastly, fire swirled around her arm and Lucia's eyes went wide while her mouth dropped open.

"That was just a small taste of it. I can do all sorts of things with this blessing and I can do it for a long time," Xol said. "It was given to me to protect my mate and I will use it for that until the day I die. I would never let anyone hurt my precious better half."

"How is that possible?" Lucia asked in a low, shaking tone.

"It's a blessing from the sun goddess," Xol replied. She did not know how else to put it. "It was given to me a long time ago."

"She used it to save my life more than once. I trust that she will protect me as she always has. The day I die will be because that is the day I was supposed to, not because of someone's traitorous acts or because my beloved could not protect me. I trust her with my life, Mother. You should do the same," Ileana said.

"I … I … I …" Lucia was speechless. She put her hand over her mouth and studied Xol, as if trying to comprehend her. Xol only smiled.

"She will protect me, Mother. Do not worry, do not fret," Ileana vowed. She then smiled at her lover and reached out for Xol's hand. Xol clutched the taller woman's hand and Ileana could feel everything that Xol felt for her in that simple act. It reassured her that Xol would always protect her. _Always_.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana and Xol work on cleaning the city.


	11. Chapter 11

10: Hopeful

Ileana had not been given much leeway with her "little project" as the King had taken to calling it. Her uncles had convinced Vincenzo that Ileana was wasting time, resources, and food. She had been given the worst grains possible and forced to find her servants on her own to help. Most of the servants from her mother's villa had been kind enough to assist her once Lucia assured them that she would excuse them from their duties for the cause. Fry helped in that area since she knew her way around the kitchen. So, she at least had people to bake the bread.

Xol handled putting the word out that Ileana was handing out bread for garbage. She was rather infamous on the streets of Basilinar by now because of her fighting early on defending the duchess. She was also friendly with several craftsmen thanks to her bartering with them over goods. She made sure to tell everyone that she knew about the "bread for trash" trade and urged them to spread the word. She also took care of hanging fliers that Viktor made up; apparently much of Basilinar was literate because their religion encouraged education and seeking knowledge to assist with spiritual awakening.

Miss Olga helped out by finding a place for them to do the collection that would be convenient to most people without disrupting life too much. She ended up picking one of the theaters since there were no productions planned for it one day, which also became the de facto day for "bread for trash." She decided that the front of the theater would suit their purposes nicely as they would be able to fit several carts out there, which would be used to collect the trash and haul anything full away quickly because of the wide and relatively decent streets.

Mei and Yu helped out by calculating how much trash that a person would need to deliver in order to get bread. They decided to go with two different weights; one for children under the age of eight and one for everyone else. Ileana approved the decision and the weights before gathering scales for them to use. Yu modified the scales slightly to make sure none of the trash would leak out of the holders to make sure the person was not cheated.

Viktor and Ileana took care of gathering carts and horses, which was a struggle since the King refused to give them any upon advice of his sons. They found their own by using the people of the city. They found men with carts and hired them for the day; their price was simple – a rabbit for the days work. Kwen was put to use catching dozens of rabbits.

"Hold onto the skins. We can use them to bargain with," Xol advised Kwen as he was working on his catch. He was in the back of Lucia's villa, skinning and cleaning the rabbits.

"You had a hand in this, didn't you?" Kwen asked.

"Why do you say that?"

"This just has the markings of one of your weird ideas."

"Well, half my idea. The other half comes from Ileana. She wants to clean the city and this is a way to do it."

"What then?" he asked curiously.

"That would be up to her. These are her people, not mine."

Kwen sniffed. "How is it her people and not yours, but your tribe and hers?"

Xol blinked, unaccustomed to Kwen's sporadic insightful moments. She did not have an answer for him. She supposed it was their tribe because her clansmen accepted Ileana. She was not sure if the country would ever accept her, even though Ileana seemed to think otherwise. Time would tell, she supposed.

With all of the preparations taken care of, the day came for "bread for trash." They set up ropes to mark off where the line should be. At the end of the line was a table with Ileana sitting down with a book to keep records of the day. Viktor would man the scale. There was one cart pulled up to the table, waiting for garbage and another would pull in as soon as that one was full. Lucia was there to distribute the bread. Xol and her tribesmen were security and crowd control, just in case things got out of hand. Miss Olga would be keeping an eye on Ileana and Viktor, just in case something happened.

Ileana took a deep breath. "I hope this works," she muttered.

"Have faith. This is a good idea," Viktor tried to assure his sister.

"Good ideas have failed as often as bad ideas," Ileana pointed out.

"That is a dim view. Have faith in what you have all managed to put together," Lucia chimed in.

Ileana nodded and took a deep breath. "What if no one comes? It is just bread and thanks to the grain we were given, not even very good bread."

"They will come, Ileana. I know they will," Xol said.

It seemed that the words from her beloved did what her mother and brother could not do – calm her down. They all focused on the task at hand. For a few minutes in the hot morning, they feared that everything was as Ileana worried and no one would come. But, the thought did not last very long as people suddenly came from all directions with soiled sacks, dripping, stained baskets, and putrid bags of filth.

"Whoa," Viktor mumbled with wide eyes as he took in the crowd.

"Agreed," Ileana commented.

Xol and her clan kept order and moved the line along. Viktor was efficient at weighing and Ileana quickly recorded the person's name and weight of what they brought as well the amount of bread they had earned. Lucia made sure to keep the line moving by having the warm bread ready. Some people were hardly ten feet away before they bit into the hot loaves. Lucia was proud to be a part of the action when she noticed how some people's faces lit up, especially the children.

"I fear we will run out of bread before the morning is up," Lucia laughed.

"No worries. We left the servants cooking more. They should have a fresh supply for us before trouble arises," Ileana replied.

"That is good. What is it that you are writing down?"

"I want to keep track of people and use it later to find out our more industrious citizens. They could be useful for later projects. I also want to get an idea of how much garbage we collected as I need to know how to get rid of it," Ileana explained.

"Why not just burn it?" Lucia asked.

Ileana shook her head. "I know what I want to work on next and I might need organic material for compost."

"The wheels in your head are turning already?"

"It is a snowball effect with me. Once I start one thing, new things come to mind. Besides, I would like to help if I can. Look how happy we are making people and we are getting a clean city out of it," Ileana smiled.

"That is nice. It will be even better when we can see the blue waters of the canals again. You will love them."

Ileana nodded and refocused on her task. Every now and then, she checked on Xol with her eyes. Xol always looked back at her less than a second later and they would have a sort of information exchange. Usually, Xol would just motion to things around the crowd, but a couple of times through out the day, she pointed to officials and Ileana's uncles in the crowd. They were being spied on.

"How many carts was that so far?" Viktor asked curiously as noon set upon them.

"Our tenth. This is a very good job. We are moving far more than I thought we would," Ileana commented.

Viktor nodded. "Bread is as good as money, huh?"

"And, of course, my beloved would know that." Ileana flashed her lover a smile.

"Xol is pretty smart and she actually has more practice ruling than any of us do," Viktor reminded his sister.

"I know. I know."

The day wore on. Thankfully, they did not run out of bread, but by nightfall there were still people in line. Kwen decided on a cut off point, but marked it with his body. Wisely, no one argued with him, especially since they had seen what he was capable of in the afternoon. Midway through the day, there had been a minor incident that Kwen and Yu squashed before it barely got started. Their display of power was enough to keep order for the rest of the day. Once the last piece of bread was added up, the group started to clean up.

"Kwen, you and Yu go give the cart drivers their payment and make sure they put all of that garbage where Ileana told them to," Xol instructed. Her orders were received with nods and the two males were off.

"This was so many people," Ileana marveled as she leafed through her book.

"I feel like it was probably just a drop in the bucket, though," Viktor said. "Could you imagine how much we could get done if we could do this for the week?"

"Well, we were only approved for the day. I will discuss our data with Grandfather and see if he will allow us to do it weekly. This was a success no matter what, even if the city is still quite dirty," Ileana said.

"Yes, but this was a very good start. Plus, you have evidence that your ideas work," Lucia replied.

"My idea as well as my beloved. Actually, most of this was her idea. I just knew I wanted to collect trash to make the city cleaner and healthy. She figured out how to go about it."

"Yes, but you organized it and made it happen as well as collected data," Xol pointed out.

" _We_ organized it," Ileana said, motioning to everyone.

"Then, let us get this packed up and return home. We all deserve a good meal after this," Lucia declared with a proud smile.

They all agreed with that and returned to the palace; Kwen and Yu caught up with them before they got there. They decided to bathe before they went to the dining hall to eat with the King as they usually did. When they entered the dining hall, everything quieted down and everyone focused on them.

"Are these good stares? I can't tell," Mei asked in a sotto voce manner.

"When are stares ever good?" Yu countered.

No one disputed that since the majority of them shared that sentiment. They made their way to the royal platform and sat down as they always did. Slowly, the conversation in the hall picked up again, but it was not to its usual level. They all knew why.

"So, how went garbage day?" Vincenzo asked, referring to the "bread for trash" action as his sons had taken to calling it.

"It went very well. I recorded well over a thousand names, I am sure," Ileana replied with smug smile aimed at her uncles. She then held up her record book. She had become meticulous with filing ever since Viktor had taken over for their father and tax money started missing.

"You wrote down the name of everyone who gave garbage?" Vincenzo was incredulous.

"Everyone who appeared before me had his name recorded and the amount that he brought in was recorded," Ileana answered.

"Why? How could such information even be useful? All you did was waste your time," Arrigo proclaimed.

Ileana shook her head. "Quite the contrary. Record keeping is essential to make sure everything went as planned or can be improved upon or if something went wrong. This is more for future work than anything else. It will help us plan for the next 'bread for trash' day," she stated.

"Next day? Poppa did not approve you for anymore days and you have already wasted enough of his time," Massimo argued. "Right, Poppa?"

"He is right, Ileana. I did not approve you for another day," Vincenzo pointed out.

"I know you did not, but I was not finished. I would like to request another day and a chance to do this weekly as an opportunity to clean up the city. Why would you deny it when it worked? People brought in tons of garbage, just for bread. They came with handfuls of trash, carrying it in their arms, all for bread. There were no incidents and it worked," Ileana said.

Riccardo scoffed loudly, but Arrigo beat him to speaking. "There were incidents. Those men showed up with knives," the middle prince proclaimed.

Ileana waved that off. "Grandfather, Yu and Kwen had that under control so quickly, we did not even know it happened until after they told us. No one was injured, the knives were confiscated, and the men were sent on their way. There was no danger at all and we only had four people working security."

"There is no telling how people could react being made to wait that long. People were in line for hours, Poppa," Massimo argued. "They could flip out at any time."

"But, no one did," Ileana said.

"It did go well, Poppa. I am sure there is a street somewhere in this city where the rats are baffled because their trash is gone," Lucia commented.

Vincenzo blinked in surprise. "You were there, Lucia?"

"Of course. My children had a brilliant idea that I wanted to help with. They needed the help, too. They barely had any resources to pull this off, but they helped the poor and cleaned the city. Why would you not want to do this again, Poppa? I do not understand," Lucia said.

"Because you do not understand politics," Riccardo haughtily declared. "This was a waste of time and resources."

"Whose time? We would have done nothing for the day, anyway. What resources? Poppa gave up grain that he did not to use in the palace for any of our food and we did not use any servants from the palace. Ileana organized this to the letter. She did not use anything from you, except the grain that you did not want in the first place," Lucia argued.

Vincenzo nodded. "This is true. Ileana did not use any resources and did not waste anyone's time. Everyone that did this did it out of desire. And, it went well you say, Lucia and Ileana?"

"It went very well, Grandfather. Everything was orderly and we were able to get so much garbage collected. I am certain that if we do this again, weekly, we could clean up the city. We can even continue using the grain you do not want. People were eager. Children were eager. Oh, you should have seen the children. They showed up clutching toys that they were willing to part with for bread," Ileana reported, some excitement sneaking into her voice. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke and Xol had to smile at her mate's passion.

"Children were willing to part with toys?" Vincenzo's mouth gaped open in disbelief.

"They were hungry and they wanted the bread. People cried when Mother handed them bread," Ileana smiled while motioning to her mother.

"They truly did. Men, women, and children cried openly and for several minutes," Lucia confirmed.

"They thought it was a festival," Miss Olga snorted and rolled her eyes. "Who would have thought bread would go so far."

"My beloved would have thought it," Ileana beamed and she put her arms around her lover. "Grandfather, trust me, allow us to do this at least once a week and the city will soon be clean."

Vincenzo nodded. "Once a week and only with grain that is not fit for the palace."

"We should get helpers," Miss Olga proposed. "The fact that we did this without help is one thing, but to do it weekly on our own when it needs organization all of the time and we need to turn our attention to so many details. We were lucky that none of the bread was stolen or no one was harmed."

"I thought you said it went well, though," Vincenzo pointed out.

"Grandfather, things are not always going to go well if we do this weekly by the law of averages. I have faith that Xol and our tribe can handle it, but they are still only four people. What if something happened in line at the same time someone decided to take Mother for bread? We at least need to be able to provide protection for ourselves," Viktor chimed in.

Vincenzo nodded and eventually gave in. Ileana and Xol glanced at each other, as if sharing a thought about the King. They would speak on it later as well as the contempt and hatred that rose in Ileana's uncles' eyes. Ileana had to spend the rest of dinner holding her mother's hand to assure her mother that everything would be fine.

-8-8-8-8-

"You know, I think it's wise that this country has a Council considering your grandfather. He's not very good at this job," Xol noted as she and Ileana cuddled together in bed that night.

"The Council does not seem all there either. They are just as indecisive. There is too much talking between them. Maybe this system worked when the country was sound, but it is not worthwhile now," Ileana argued.

"I don't understand your grandfather. Why does it seem like he can't make a decision at all? I'm sure he was full of decisions when he was running the country into the ground."

"Hey." Ileana teasingly popped her lover on the hip. "He is my grandfather, love. But, no, he was not making good decisions then either from what I read. The record-keeping for his reign is horrid. I have found much more details on every other monarch before him, but it seems as if he has just been incompetent for the whole time he was on the throne."

"What was he doing wrong when he didn't care as much?" Xol asked curiously.

"Pretty much taking whatever he wanted since he was king. He was somewhat of a royal brat. He definitely helped bankrupt the country when the trade dried up. When things got really rough, he just withdrew behind the palace walls. As far as I can tell, he has been here ever since and has not been doing much since he decided to try to fix things. He is not a man of action unless it involves him getting what he wants."

Xol sighed. "I suppose this is why daijinn elect their leaders in some manner."

"You were not elected. You beat up your tribe to get your position," Ileana pointed out with a laugh.

"It was an election of sorts." Xol chuckled. "Okay, I wasn't elected, but Mei told me that daijinn usually elect their chiefs. I feel like I've been elected with them. They picked me."

Ileana nodded. "That they did. They certainly did." She kissed her love's forehead.

"So, when are you going to pitch your other ideas at your grandfather?"

"Tomorrow. He wants to meet with us to discuss everything of the day and I will tell him that I want to start farms on the outside land. It is all over grown, so I do not see why it would bother him. As long as we can do it on our own because I can see he will not give us people because he does not want to listen to us yet."

Xol nodded. "It's fine. When you get the time to go through your book, you can find the people really willing to work and we can offer them meat for payment."

"I know. I will have to do that soon. I will get Miss Olga to help. Yu and Mei will be good for this type of busy work."

"Yeah, just make sure you put Mei in another room or she'll drive you all crazy. I'll find out more about what animals we can catch in the surrounding jungle, so we know what to offer. I've noticed that people get really eager when we offered the rabbit."

"I think rabbit is considered a real treat around here. It is a delicacy."

"Well, we should find out about more treats. I know venison could probably get people to move mountains."

"Yes, we also need to save all of the pelts. Those could come in handy."

"I know. I'm on top of it, my precious moon. Now, I'd like to be on top of other matters."

Ileana laughed. "Have I told you how much I love your not-so-subtle hints?"

Xol smiled and claimed her lover's mouth in a deep kiss. Ileana's chuckle quickly turned to a moan and her arms automatically went around her beloved. The events of the evening were rapidly forgotten.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana sat with her grandfather; Xol was present, of course. She kept quiet for the most part, even when Vincenzo tried to include her. Xol was more interested in listening to her mate and finding out what ideas Ileana had for the country. Xol then turned the wheels in her head to figure out how to help make those ideas reality.

"The thing that I really would like to get off the ground is starting some royal farms. Or even some small family farms. From what I can see in the market place, this country grows a wide variety of fruit and I know we can begin trade again once we have enough fruits and vegetables to provide merchants. Even if we do not export it, we can start movement between towns in the country, trading with each other once people actually have goods to trade. We have to work out where what would grow best and where we would have enough land and everything, but I will get to work on it with your approval," Ileana told her grandfather.

The King shook his head. "We do not have the people for that."

"I think we do. We just have to give them incentives to move from the city to these farms, which I do not think would be difficult. I think the idea of land, a home, and an opportunity to make money is more than enough people to want this. We have to get the pulse of the country beating again instead of just saying it's dead and cannot be saved," she argued.

"Duchess," he sighed.

"Grandfather, seriously, we have to do something. I will take responsibility for it all. If it fails, you can always say it was just your crazy foreign granddaughter who you just wanted to please."

Vincenzo nodded. "And if it does well?"

Ileana grinned. "The King had a brilliant plan and look how well it worked out!"

He laughed. "You are much more of a politician than Viktor."

Ileana shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. I just have ideas," she used Viktor's words. Truly, it was just that she had ideas that she needed to get out. Unlike most people, she was luckily born into royalty, so people listened to her ideas. Of course, she also had a knack for persuading people to go along with her.

"All right. I will give you the leeway to do your farming and to do your garbage days."

"Uh … it is called 'bread for trash,' Grandfather. We do not want people to think that they are getting garbage in this trade."

"Oh!" He actually blushed. "Of course."

Ileana smiled and then patted her lover's hand. "Come, beloved. We have a lot to do and little time to do it."

Xol nodded and they left the office area. They ran right into Arrigo. He sneered at Ileana, focused on her and emitting such hatred that Ileana could feel it. Xol could smell it and she growled at him. He chuckled at her.

"Call off your dog, dear niece. I am only here to be of service to you," he remarked with a charming smile.

"No, you are not," Ileana replied. "You are here to spy," she whispered with a smile of her own.

"You are so suspicious, dear niece. I would never harm you," Arrigo declared. Xol growled again. He laughed. "Again, dear niece, the dog."

"Stop calling her that," Ileana snarled. "I do not want anything you have to offer."

"Why not? I could get you people and better grain for your little project."

"What I have is fine. Now, if you will excuse me," Ileana said curtly while pushing by her uncle before he could answer. Xol took a moment to growl at Arrigo again before following.

"You know, Ileana, you should not be so quick to dismiss me. I can offer help to you if you help me in return. I am not a good enemy to have," Arrigo said.

"I think I will take my chances, uncle," Ileana replied without bothering to turn around.

"I dislike him. He's sneaky," Xol said.

Ileana nodded in complete agreement. "I suspect he is the one that poisoned Massimo's wife. I wonder what approach Massimo and Riccardo will try, if they do try."

"I'll be on alert. I will kill your uncles if necessary," Xol vowed.

"Please, only if it is a last resort. I do not think my mother wants them dead, even if they are jerks."

"I think she would prefer them to you."

Ileana could not argue that one and decided to not bother. They had other things to do and little time to do it. They had to find the rest of their group and get to work on "bread for trash" as well as calculating what would need to be done with the farms that Ileana was considering.

-8-8-8-8-

It was dinnertime and Xol's tribe was talking excitedly between themselves. They had several ideas for their two projects and kept throwing them back and forth. Ileana was very pleased with their enthusiasm, especially Miss Olga and Lucia. It would seem that everyone truly did need something to do beyond wandering the palace, walking the gardens, and reading.

"We should start on the farming idea immediately. I think it would work best to get citizens to do it, so they could become independent. What we would need to do is clear land or at the least survey abandoned areas," Miss Olga said.

"We should look into the abandoned areas first. There should be less brush to clear," Yu reasoned.

"There are plenty of abandoned areas around here," Ileana said.

As they all spoke, Xol shuffled foods around the tables closest to them. Her group was aware of her movements, but did not comment on it. She noted that Ileana's uncles were watching her, too, but they did not comment. She could smell sweat from Arrigo and anxiety. By the end of the meal, Arrigo was visibly drenched in perspiration. Ileana smiled and winked at her uncle before leaving with her group.

"Seriously, the guy tries to poison you right in front of the boss? How rude!" Mei huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"He's just lucky he's related or the boss probably would've ripped his throat out right then and there," Yu pointed out.

"Can we not discuss this right now," Ileana ordered while glancing at her mother. Worried brown eyes met hers. "Xol had it under control, Mother. She could smell the poison."

"I probably could smell who prepared the poisoned food if I go to the kitchen," Xol offered.

"No need. Based on the foods you moved, we know who prepared it. I am not sure if going to Grandfather would help. What do you think, Mother?" Ileana asked.

Lucia shook her head. "I do not know. Poppa does not seem to understand what my brothers are capable of. But, then again, I was not totally sure until now. Did they really try to poison you?"

"I think they were trying to poison all of us. I don't think it was deadly, though. Probably just to send a message," Xol replied.

"Well, message received. They mess with the taller boss and we'll break their freaking legs!" Kwen proclaimed.

"Oh, boy, now he's all fired up. Stay focused, big boy," Mei remarked with a chuckle.

"I am just proud that he said 'freaking' instead of another choice word," Ileana joked.

"Everybody just be on alert. This poisoning might have been a message, but the next one won't be. If people crawl through your windows with daggers, I don't think they'll be joking either," Xol warned.

"You want one of us to stay with the crank?" Yu inquired, nodding to Miss Olga.

"I can take care of myself quite well, thank you. I do not require dogs for the job," Miss Olga snapped.

"And you wonder why the taller boss is the way that she is?" Mei quipped.

"Just everyone take care of each other. The tribe is small enough as it is, we can't go about losing people," Xol remarked.

"Has anybody else noticed the boss has been trying her hand at humor lately?" Mei grinned.

"She doesn't have to worry about Vladimir anymore, so that has to be a weight from her shoulders," Yu chimed in.

"You'd never believe we were all almost poisoned," Xol sighed, shaking her head.

"Ah, love, you know they cope through jokes. Besides, we were not almost poisoned. You and they smelled it from a mile away," Ileana pointed out.

Xol only nodded. Honestly, she was not worried about Ileana's uncles. If Arrigo's attempt was any measure of what they were capable of, yes, they were evil, but not very efficient as far as daijinn would be concerned. Still, she would be on high alert until the threat to her mate, to her clan was gone.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana's uncles are not done trying to crush her and her tribe just yet.


	12. 11: The little things

11: The little things

Ileana was used to making reports to her grandfather after a month of organizing and planning. "Bread for trash" was just as successful the last four times as it was the first time, so Vincenzo was comfortable with giving her more help, even though he still insisted on giving her bad grain. She was upset that he allowed his sons to sit in on the reports along with several Councilmen, many of whom Xol did not trust.

"How are things going with this proposed farm?" Vincenzo inquired when Ileana was done talking about the weekly "bread for trash" day.

"We have thought on it long and hard and have found several people willing to work such a farm. We found an area that should suffice. With your permission we will work on clearing it and getting everything set up," Ileana replied humbly.

Vincenzo nodded. "Do you need anything?"

"No, we have it covered. Permission is all we require to set things in motion."

"Is there anything in particular you plan to grow?"

"That is still undecided. I thought perhaps you would have suggestions, Grandfather." In all truth, Ileana knew what she wanted to do with the farmland, but wanted to give the King a chance for input.

"Poppa, is this not just a waste of land? She will not be able to get enough people to fully care for such a thing," Massimo argued.

Vincenzo held up his hand. "I think your niece has proven to be competent in areas that she has an interest in. After all, the city has never been cleaner since she has started this bread for trash action. Ileana, you have my blessing. Do what you will."

Ileana smiled graciously. "Thank you, Grandfather."

"Is there anything else I should be aware of?"

"No, this is all for now."

He nodded and waved her off, letting her know that she was free to go. Xol followed behind her, eyes locked on the small crowd. Ileana smiled as soon as they were alone in the corridor.

"This is coming along brilliantly. Beloved, I am so happy that you thought of paying people in food. The city is getting clean and we might be able to salvage the surrounding countryside now as well," Ileana beamed.

"Gotta go with what works," Xol answered with a shrug.

"And we have got to go to work. We should go look at the land and figure out what needs to be done. What needs clearing and what we can use," Ileana said.

"I hate to say this, but we probably are going to have to do something about the road to the land. No cart will be able to make it through that dirt trail," Xol pointed out.

"You are correct about that. We will worry about the road later on. As long as we grow fruits and vegetables, those can be carried by backpack or mule."

Xol nodded and they went about their business. When they returned, they noticed Arrigo watching them. They had taken to guessing which uncle stalked them when and whose men watched them at other times. They were very familiar with the people that worked for Ileana's uncles now.

Massimo seemed the most interested in them since Arrigo's cowardly attempts at poisoning them had yet to work. He had made three attempts to poison them in the past month and could not seem to figure out why it did not work. They had learned that while daijinn lived in the country, the humans did not seem to know much about the other race, so Arrigo had no idea Xol could smell each and every poison that he added to their food. He seemed to be getting discouraged and his attention was starting to wane.

"How did the land look?" Miss Olga asked as the group met up in the common room in Lucia's villa.

"It is fine. There is a lot of brush to clear, but we can use the limber for housing," Ileana replied.

"Fencing, too. Animals come through there a lot and we don't want them to eat everything," Xol added in.

"Rabbit meat for anyone that comes and helps clear?" Yu asked.

"That should be more than enough. We have to make sure to specify that workers are expected to be there for the whole day. They will sign in and sign out in order to get their pay. Every two days we will give them a rabbit," Ileana answered.

"I don't think I can catch that many rabbits. I'm not built for small, fast prey," Kwen admitted. His ears actually dropped when he said that.

Xol waved him off. "I'll get the rabbits, but what we need to do is get an enclosed area and just pin the rabbits there. They'll reproduce and we won't have to keep going out to hunt. We don't have to worry about accidentally ruining the population either. I'll never forget how we killed all those nutria back on the island."

"I will find a spot in one of the lesser gardens," Lucia volunteered. "But, what island are you talking about?"

"The tribe lived on this island. This is when there were almost two hundred of us. On the island there were nutria and we hunted all of those in about three months just from the sheer surprise there was food nearby. We definitely learned the hard way not to take everything nature has to offer all at once," Mei explained.

"Viktor, have you been doing those correspondences for me?" Ileana asked.

"I have. Prince Ivan is interested in spending merchants down for the rabbit pelts. He offered gold bars," Viktor answered. "I pushed a little, so he will give us more than the initial agreement."

Ileana nodded and bite the corner of her bottom lip for a moment. "All right, we are doing well so far. I was starting to worry that we would be stuck with a room full of rabbit fur."

"Heaven know we don't need fur in this weather," Fry remarked. She had been keeping herself busy with preparing bread and also preparing any meat that the group brought in that they needed to use for trade. Xol checked in on her often to make sure she was all right and she assured the smaller female that the work kept her happy. Xol knew that Fry liked feeling useful and she was definitely a huge help to their efforts.

"Also, have you all been keeping records of the animals around here as I asked? I think that information will be vital to us, especially for the farming and hopefully resettling areas. Hunting, medicines, and many other things will be effected by the information," Ileana said.

"I have the lists right here. Not just animals, but plants, even though we didn't know the names of all of them. I sketched 'em as best I could. We have also been trying to keep track of the water sources and things when we go out and explore," Yu replied as he held up his record book. He had taken to carrying one just as Ileana did and he wrote everything in it, much like she did.

"Good job. We are definitely doing very well. Beloved, have we gotten everything?" Ileana asked.

"I think that covers it for now. We should all take a trip to the land together, just to get an idea of what we're working with and for everyone to get on the same page. For now, everybody relax," Xol announced.

The group disbursed. Xol and Ileana retreated to their bedroom for the night. Everything was calm and normal until the middle of the night. The couple was asleep when Xol's ear twitched. Golden eyes suddenly opened and Xol pulled Ileana closer to her body.

"Something wrong?" Ileana asked in a whisper.

"Movement at the window and on the veranda. Got your swords?"

"Under my pillows as always."

"Good. They'll try to surprise us."

Ileana nodded and reached for her weapons. As soon as she was armed, she turned to Xol. The shorter female was pointing to the front curtain of the bed, indicating that Ileana should handle that end while she would tackle the problem at the window. Ileana nodded in agreement and they sprang into action as soon as the curtains to the bed were moved.

Warriors covered in black cloth from head to toe burst in on the couple. Ileana leaped at the one in front of the bed as soon as he had the curtain drawn back while Xol managed to actually jump through the smaller opening at the head of their bed. A deadly growl escaped Xol; the sound that came from Ileana was not far behind it. She made short work of the half dozen warriors crawling in through the window.

"Who sent you?" Ileana demanded as she clashed blades with two assassins.

The question went unanswered as Ileana defended against the two swordsmen. They were skilled and Ileana feared she might be overpowered. But, of course, she did not have to worry about that with her lover around. Xol charged in barely a minute after the fighting commenced. A flaming swipe of her right hand knocked the pair of attackers back and dazed them. That was all Xol needed and she was on them, making short work of the duo.

"Try not to kill them. They might reveal who sent them," Ileana informed her love.

A snarl was Xol's response to that. Ileana recognized the sound, knowing that her beloved was half-gone in outrage and bloodlust. It stemmed from the fact that someone dared try to touch Ileana in Xol's presence. It was one thing to try to harm Ileana, but to do it right in front of Xol was something totally different. Ileana watched the punishment with an indifferent expression.

"That one is still alive," Xol snorted, pointing to the body in the corner. "He probably wishes he wasn't, though."

Ileana shrugged. "Spares us the time of torturing him."

-8-8-8-8-

After breakfast, Xol and Ileana made it a point to go find one of Ileana's "loving" uncles. A hard scowl was affixed to Xol's face and would not leave until she said what was on her mind. Xol followed the scent, so they would not have to ask anyone for his location and he would not be warned. They found him playing chess with a Councilman.

"Uncle Massimo, a word in private, if you please," Ileana requested with faux politeness.

Massimo tensed and looked up sharply. For a moment, his eyes registered his surprise and complete shock. He cleared his throat to buy himself time to compose himself.

"Maybe later, duchess. I am busy as you can see," Massimo replied with a grunt as he turned his eyes back to the board.

Xol slapped the board away. "And now you're suddenly available," she growled, showing off her large canine teeth, which seemed to get even longer.

Massimo gulped. "Now see here, Ileana! Control this jinn!"

"I cannot control her anymore than Grandfather can control you. Now, I would like to talk to you about events that occurred last night. I am not sure if you want a witness here or not," Ileana said.

"I do not know what you are going on about. I do not keep track of you after dinner," Massimo commented, folding his arms across his chest and holding his chin up high. He looked so smug and Xol just wanted to cut through his skull.

"Your men talked. Talked like we were the gods themselves they were confessing to," Ileana informed him in a low hiss.

"My men?" Massimo rolled his eyes. "I think you have me confused with someone else."

"No, it was you," Xol snarled with her tail whipping violently behind her. "You can play this game all you want, but let me warn you that if you think you can just attempt to kill my mate in front of me, you're making a fatal mistake." She gnashed her teeth and flicked a claw across his forehead.

Massimo hissed in pain and put his hand on his head. He was surprised that there was no blood staining his fingers when he pulled his hand back. He turned curious eyes to Xol, but it was Ileana who spoke.

"Consider it a mark of the sun," Ileana said. "You come near us and you will get burned."

"Badly," Xol added in.

Ileana turned to leave and Xol followed her. They went about their day as planned, trying to organize things for their next big project as well as the next "bread for trash" day. They would wait to see what Ileana's uncles had next for them.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana, Xol, and their tribe were taking a trip to the Gathering Hall. Lucia decided against joining them as she was not interested in the political song and dance. King Vincenzo and many of the Councilmen wanted to hear about the progress of their projects. Ileana and Yu would do most of the talking, but it was decided that they would all go just in case. Ileana also wanted her grandfather to see who was behind improving the nation.

Life had been safer the past few weeks when they all stuck together. Not to mention when they were all on alert and the humans amongst them were armed, so Ileana always had swords on her belt and various other weapons hidden on her person. Miss Olga carried two swords on her back and Viktor was now forced to travel with a knife as well as someone from their tribe. Kwen, Yu, and Mei tended to make a point to stick close to the little duke.

"The duchess Ileana and her party," was announced as the group entered the conference hall.

The room was different from the one that Ileana, Xol, and Viktor had been in. It was much larger and more open. The Councilmen were sitting around on platforms while the floor was clear. Ileana expected that she would have to make a speech, but not to most of the governing body along with the King and her uncles. Taking a deep breath, she marched to the center of the floor with her tribe right behind her. They stopped a few feet before the King.

"Sire," Ileana bowed before her grandfather. Viktor and Miss Olga did the same.

"Duchess Ileana, what do you have to report to myself and this grand Council?" Vincenzo demanded.

Ileana nodded. "The first item I would like to address is the cleanliness of the city. I am sure many of you have noticed that piles of trash have finally disappeared and the canal water is actually blue. As long as we continue to collect the garbage, it should keep the city clean. I would like to propose we do this in towns across the country if they are like Basilinar. I also urge us to start such a campaign in Ro Ryuon. It is practically the capital of the west as I understand it and it has to look the part, just as we have to look the part. It will also help get trade back to the country and reduce sickness."

"Duchess, you have made this claim before, but we have not seen any increase in trade," Arrigo pointed out.

"Yes, this is quite true," one of the Councilmen behind Arrigo concurred.

"Actually, we had a prince from the north buy a load of rabbit furs from us," Viktor chimed in and motioned to his sister. "The duchess contacted him months ago as we had collected the furs. He is looking forward to more shipments as soon as possible. The duchess had plans to get that off the ground if it pleases your highness," he said, eyes focused on the King.

"The King was not informed of such a deal! You cannot just do things without telling the King or the Council," Riccardo bellowed, waving to the crowd of men. There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

"Yes, Ileana, you cannot do things like that on your own," Vincenzo agreed.

"You think that you can just breeze in here with whatever you desire and do whatever it is you please! We have rules here that a foreigner like you would never understand! You disrespect our entire culture and now just expect us all to bow to you!" Riccardo thundered, gaining momentum if the cheers from the Council meant anything. A smirk grew on the youngest prince's face.

The daijinn all frowned, disbelief ringing in their ears. Xol tensed, unable to take even verbal attacked on her lover. Ileana reached out and took Xol's hand to keep her calm. Golden eyes looked up at Ileana, who smiled gently at her lover.

"Let him talk, love," Ileana whispered. She knew that eventually one of Riccardo's older brothers would steal his fire, especially considering what abject failures they had been in killing Ileana in anything else.

"You storm in here as if you have all the answers, but follow none of the rules and have fixed nothing with these nonsense dreams of yours!" Riccardo shouted, standing up now. He faced her and paced like a stalking animal, but remained several feet away. "You think you know better than us when you are nothing more than a little girl from the north! You care not for this land or its people!"

"You are not even truly Chuachinese!" Massimo jumped in, throwing his arms up before pointing at his niece. "You talk down to us just like any other fool from the north! It is an insult to have you in this great hall standing before our King, whom you continue to disrespect with your actions!"

"Poppa, you have to realize that Ileana is just taking advantage of your love for Lucia!" Arrigo declared, stepping over to the King. "She is only using that to do whatever she wants and is further damaging our poor country, which she does not love as she has no ties to it! She is a Fluerizan and always will be!" he accused as if that was the worst thing possible. Vincenzo's gaze went to the middle son as if he had just foretold doom.

Riccardo knew that he needed to get attention back to him, so he could claim credit when they finally got rid of Ileana. "You have to get rid of Ileana, Poppa! She will anger the people as well as God considering her filthy, unnatural relationship with her jinn! All of her servants talk about how they behave like husband and wife! We cannot let that type of scandal out!"

"Yes, Poppa! You must do something!" Arrigo proclaimed.

"If you do not do something, Poppa, Ileana will be the ruin of us all!" Massimo shouted.

"Do not let this outsider control us any longer!" Riccardo ended it.

Vincenzo held up his hand, silently telling them to stop. He then turned his hard gaze to Ileana. She regarded her grandfather coolly; Viktor tried to mimic the expression.

"Have you anything to say to the accusations leveled against you?" Vincenzo demanded.

Ileana tilted her chin to the left. "Accusations? Is that what they are called? Fantasies sound closer to the truth for some of those and the others – they are the absolute truth. I am a foreigner. I was born and raised in Fleuriza with that culture and those customs, but I am Chuachinese by blood and by choice. I have slowly adapted and yes, I still have a lot to learn, but I am willing to learn and have an excellent teacher in my mother as well as the friends I have made around the city. I have done nothing but what I thought would help. For those of you who can make up your mind and remain unbiased, you know what I have done. You know what my group has done and you know what we will continue to do if given the chance."

"Just like you will continue to put your head between a dog's legs!" Arrigo snarled. Xol did the same and gnashed her teeth at him until Ileana squeezed her hand.

"Damn, I wouldn't even say that to the boss and I say a lot of shit," Kwen muttered with his tail swaying. His comrades nodded slightly.

"My relationship with Xol is not a secret. I proclaim her my beloved for the world to hear. I am not ashamed of it and I would like to think that people who claim to be tolerant and claim on their own to be the descendants of a dragon and a human would not belittle that relationship. You cannot say you are tolerant only when there is nothing to be tolerant of. Besides, does your god not preach to love all those who would do you no harm? We have done you no harm, yet you seem to hate us. Does your god not say to take pleasure and happiness where you can draw it as long as it harms no one? Who have we harmed in our pleasure and happiness? We have done nothing against the law or against what is moral," Ileana stated calmly. Same-sex relationship occurred in Chuachinese society often enough that there were open records about it in history books and cultural accounts.

"Do not try to taint the God's words! You, filthy Fleurizan, who does not even believe in our god!" Massimo barked.

"My King and Councilmen, I have only this to ask: what have my actions said since I have come to this country? I stand here facing slander and glares, but what have my actions said?" Ileana posed to the room. "Have they said I, no, excuse me, _we_ , my whole group, do not love this country? What have any of us done to stand accused of anything at all?"

"Do not try to suck up now!" Riccardo snarled.

Ileana remained focused on her grandfather. "Perhaps the King feels the same as his sons. What would you like to do, highness? Shall you banish me and mine? We can be gone in less than a day. Ask my father, he would know," she said softly.

"Sire," one of the Council members spoke up.

"Yes?" Vincenzo called and waved for the Council member to step out and be seen.

"This meeting has rapidly lost focus. The duchess and her cohorts were supposed to report on the progress of their projects, which we all know they have made. Perhaps we should get back to that and you may make your decision to her fate and the fate of her group," the Councilman said.

"That would probably be best, sire," another Councilman concurred.

Ileana smiled, finding that she had members of the Council on her side. She was going to have to study up more on the Council to find out how they could be useful to her and her being able to do more things for the country. She would also have to be careful as she was certain that her uncles would be worse now.

"Fine, Ileana, continue on with your report," Vincenzo allowed.

"As you wish," Ileana replied. "I think it would be appropriate to continue the 'bread for trash' plan to keep the city clean. As I said, the program should be expanded to other towns and cities. We should also start working on other parts of the city, using bread as payment for small jobs that anyone would be able to do. People seem eager for it and have asked if there would be other opportunities to earn bread."

"And your other project?" the King inquired.

"Yu has that information," Ileana answered and motioned to the tall daijinn standing by her.

Vincenzo frowned. "You should be making this report."

"Yu is a member of my group and just as active in the projects as I am. I do not understand the problem with any one from my team giving the report," Ileana reasoned.

"Careful, duchess. You are on thin ice as it is. You are the leader of this project, are you not?" Vincenzo pointed out.

"I am a leader, but not the only person working on this. I have my tribe. They are all equally important. I have the vision, but they make it possible. If it makes you uncomfortable to hear the report from a daijinn, I cannot understand why that is. Yu has put a lot of his own time and effort into this and would like to express how well things are going," Ileana countered.

"He was not given permission to speak here. You are the only one with that privilege," the King stated.

Ileana sighed and almost rolled her eyes. Her grandfather's fickle nature was beyond annoying at the moment. She could only wonder what he was like before he "cared" about the country. She held her hand out and Yu passed her his notebook.

"Clearing the land for the farm is going on schedule. We should have it all cleared sometime next week. We are in the process of getting seeds to plant," Ileana said and the King cut her off.

"Where are you getting the money for these seeds?" he demanded.

"My cohort, as she was called," Ileana motioned to Xol. "She settled on a deal, trading in meat, fur, and hides for seeds. Again, our currency was food and whatever was left from that. Was that a problem? Does it count as poaching?" she kept her tone respectful as she asked the questions, even though she was quite irked now. She could understand why her mother hated politics so much.

"There are no laws against hunting," Vincenzo assured her.

"Well, then, we have been paying men in rabbit meat. The seed was negotiated for using venison. Xol has been in charge of that and Yu had been keeping record of it," Ileana said.

"Record of it?" He looked completely baffled as to why she would do such a thing.

"Records are kept of every bit of these projects. It helps keep track of what has been done and what still needs to be done. It will also make future projects easier if your highness allows for other projects," Ileana stated graciously. She even forced a polite smile onto her face, even though she really wanted to call her grandfather for the coward and fool that he was. _We just want to help people!_

"How long do you think before you will have the farm up and running?" the King asked.

"We have obviously missed the chance to plant anything, but we will have the land cleared and prepared as well as staffed and housed by the time planting season comes around again," Ileana assured her grandfather.

"And how long do you think this will all take?" Vincenzo inquired.

"As I said, by the planting season, everything will be as it should and there will be seeds to sow. We should have plenty of land cleared by then for a very large farming community. I have a plan in place for how we should approach the use of the farms if you wish to see it," Ileana replied.

"Tell it to us."

"The farm land will be divided into units for family farms, who will be taxed in food. They will be left to sell and trade the rest. Each farm will be have to grow one crop ordered by the Crown and anything else would be of their own choosing. This way, we will be sure to get diversity and people will be able to support themselves as well as promote trade," Ileana explained.

"That is ridiculous, Poppa! We cannot order people to grow certain types of food!" Massimo spoke up.

"May I be allowed to finish my report?" Ileana requested.

"Yes," Vincenzo said before turning to look at his sons. "There will be no more outbursts. We will debate the merits of all that the duchess has done once the report has been completed." The princes all nodded.

"I will make this short since it is obvious that my uncles are eager to speak and tear down all that has been done. The farming project will end on time and at the perfect time if everything continues as is. There are no problems with it and everyone involved looks forward to seeing their hard work turn into reality. I will end with this, I continue to hear a lot of 'cannot' from those opposed to my plans. I have yet to hear alternatives or good reasons as to why we cannot do something. The country needs action and the people are happy to act. This potential energy should, could, and can be put to good use," Ileana stated with a sound nod.

The murmuring began immediately. Ileana turned to her group, who were looking around at the Councilmen. Eventually, they all looked to the King.

"You are dismissed," Vincenzo waved them away.

The group had to work not to run out of the room, so disgusted with Vincenzo and what he allowed to happen. They complained all the way back to the villa, harping on the disrespect toward them as well as the nerve of people shooting down all of their hard while doing nothing to help the country.

"People, we cannot allow this to discourage us," Ileana told them.

"You know, we should be used to it. This is what Xol had to deal with her whole tenure as the chief of our tribe and we had to fight for her ideas," Mei pointed out.

"The difference was that Xol was the chief and if anybody really had a problem not following orders, they would challenge her. No one wanted to challenge her after a while," Yu reminded her.

"Only idiots challenged her after those first couple of weeks," Kwen snorted.

"Well, this is something totally different as none of us are in charge," Viktor said.

"Which is just incredibly irritating," Ileana seriously stated.

"You must be seething, highness. I know how you are just used to willing people to do your bidding," Miss Olga remarked dryly.

Ileana made a face at her servant. "You mock me now, but you know we should not have to go through this nonsense."

"Of course. I think it is a good thing for you, though. It will build character, provided it does not get us killed," Miss Olga commented.

"You know, I think if you spanked the taller boss a few times when she was little, you wouldn't have to be happy about these little character building lessons," Mei stated.

"Yeah, I think the only one spanking her now –" Kwen wisely did not finish that thought as Ileana and Xol both glared him into the dirt. His ears dropped as his mouth closed.

Before anyone else could make a wisecrack or even worse, they were interrupted. An announcement called out the arrival of Councilwoman Julia Lindworm, countess of the canton of Lindworm. They all turned their attention to the entrance and the Councilwoman came in moments later. None of them bothered to get up.

Julia was dressed in fine silk robes, as expected of any noble. She was a woman of average height, but her presence made her seem taller. Her poise gave her tan complexion a glow to it, as if she was radiating confidence. She had long brown hair done in curls and decorated with charms, but her cocoa mane was going gray in the corners. Her odd grayish blue eyes seemed to shine as she took in the sight of Ileana and her tribe.

"Duchess," the Councilwoman said before bowing at the waist to Ileana. She also turned her attention to Viktor. "Duke." She then bowed again.

"Councilwoman, what can the King's humble servants do for you?" Ileana asked with a smile. The countess could not help laughing.

"I come on behalf of some of my colleagues to inform you that you do have support, not just you, but your group as well. You are all the first breath of fresh air this country has had in a long time. We want you to keep doing what you are doing and do not worry about the King. We will remain in his ear as his sons and others poison his thinking. The country needs you and yours. Do not get discouraged over this incident," the Councilwoman begged.

"Please, if anything this just makes the taller boss want to beat them at their own game," Yu snorted. "We really do need a different name."

"What if we called her 'duchess' like everybody else around here? It's a title of respect. Doesn't carry the same weight as boss or chief, but it is a human thing," Mei reasoned.

"Children, focus," Ileana snapped at the pair before turning her attention back to the Councilwoman. "So, we can expect your support as well as the support of how many Councilmen if we try to continue our projects?" she inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"I can assure you that it is a large number, more than the ones backing the princes," Julia replied.

"But, no solid figure," Ileana noted.

"It is too early to be certain. Some are straddling the line, but you have a large number, trust me. Please, continue doing what you have been doing. This country needs you."

"This country needs to protect her then," Yu reasoned.

"Seriously, every night she's damn near poisoned," Kwen huffed. "Her and the shrimp," he added, earning a growl from his leader. "I mean, the chief. I was just throwing out names, like the two idiots."

"Yes, lump yourself in with people you've already decided are idiots. Brilliant plan," Mei remarked.

Ileana sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before turning her attention back to the Councilwoman. "Thank you, countess. We will keep your words in mind as we continue to do what we must," she said.

"Thank you." Julia bowed once more and took her leave.

Ileana then glared at the three daijinn. "You three have to stop acting like children!" she ordered, pointing at them. "Especially you, Yu. You know better, but you let them drag you down."

"That's what we're here for," Mei chuckled.

Ileana sighed again, but she was smiling. Xol smiled, too, as she curled in close to her mate. They had a long journey ahead of them, but at least they had support. Not to mention, they had their tribe … as immature as half of the tribe was. They would not let Ileana's uncles beat them.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol and Yu go to see the daijinn at the compound outside of the city and try to get through to them.


	13. 12: Home

12: Home

Ileana and her group continued on as they were, even as Massimo, Arrigo, and Riccardo tried to drip poison into the King's ear about the tasks that the tribe undertook. True to her word, Councilwoman Julia and several others countered the princes. Ileana, Xol, and the rest of the tribe were free to do what they thought was best.

Ileana sighed and rubbed her head. "We need more help clearing these trees. This forest is too thick," she complained as she surveyed the land that they would like the farms to be on. While they had cleared the abandoned land, they needed more than that if they wanted substantial farmland and crops. They needed enough land for people to grow enough food for personal and commercial use.

"I have an idea," Xol said as she watched Kwen muscle a tree over.

"You are full of those, my love. I am sure you were a sight to behold when you had your own tribe," Ileana smiled as she took her mate's hand.

"Not really. Having the kids around was a big help," Xol remarked, earning a grin from her lover.

"Good leadership involves being able to surround yourself with competent and helpful people, so they only speak to how great a leader you were. Now, what is this idea that you have?"

"We need the help of people who look like that to move the trees," Xol said while pointing to Kwen. "It would go faster and the humans could focus on treating the lumber for the houses and fences."

"You want to try that daijinn tribe that thought you were a pet?"

"They don't know me. I feel I should introduce myself. I'll take Yu."

"All right. Would you like me to come along?"

"No, I think they need to see me first. I have to prove I'm not a pet."

Ileana nodded. "What are you going to offer them if they help?"

Xol shrugged. "Something no daijinn has had for a long time."

A dark eyebrow arched. "You do not often speak in riddles, beloved."

"A nation. Permanent land to call home. Goods that only humans have that dajinn would like, but often won't admit it."

"That almost sounds philosophical, but then you took it back to what you know based on what you know. I am enjoying seeing these new sides of you, love. You are so wonderful, beloved. So, so wonderful." Ileana leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her beloved's lips.

Xol smiled. "Says you. Do me a favor and stay with Mei while I'm gone."

Ileana nodded, knowing how her lover worried. Xol grabbed Yu from the manual labor of the fields and they were off to see the tribe that thought so little of them. They had not been by the compound in the months since their arrival in the country. Xol had no doubt that she and Yu would be received as poorly as before.

"Why are we doing this?" Yu asked.

"We need the help. Besides, Ileana has a vision and I have one, too," Xol replied.

"What do you and the taller boss see together?" he inquired, knowing the two visions were the same.

"We want everyone in the country to feel like it is their responsibility to help improve the country because it's everyone's home. It's not fair for someone to live here and just watch it fall apart. They're just as responsible for this place as the humans and if they don't agree, they can get the hell out."

Yu chuckled. "Wouldn't it have been a good idea to bring the taller boss then? She's good at those uplifting speeches that make people want to get behind her."

"I don't think it would work with these guys. They look at the humans as a separate entity and don't seem to realize they share a country. I might not be able to give a speech like my mate, but I can negotiate with the best of them."

Yu nodded in agreement and then he smiled. "Glad you're confident in yourself about that because you're right."

"It's not that I lack confidence. I'm … self-aware," she answered.

He laughed, but nodded. "You are that."

The conversation was over and they moved as quickly as they could to the daijinn compound. When they got to the small village area, they noted that no one bothered to go in their homes like before. Everyone was out, as if a show of force was a counter to their last meeting in the woods where Xol had basically put them in their places. The numbers showed that there would be none of that. Not when the daijinn had the advantage of fifty to two.

"You again," Qin growled as he stepped over to the pair.

"Is there a problem?" Xol inquired, curling her eyebrows upward a bit.

"I should be the one asking you that. What the hell do you want? You have a lot of nerve showing up here, you know? I owe you and yours for that shit you pulled in the woods," Qin pointed out.

Xol sighed and appeared rather bored. "Is it always down to a fight?"

"You don't want to do that. The last time a tribe challenged her to a fight, the whole tribe lost. Badly," Yu informed him. He then rotated his shoulder, recalling a pain from four years ago when Xol handed him and the rest of the tribe their asses. His tail thrashed behind him for a moment.

"You come to boast then?" Qin demanded.

"Nothing of the sort. I've come to talk to you and yours on behalf of me and mine," Xol answered.

"We have nothing to say to you, pet."

"But, I have plenty to say to you. I'll put it in simple terms and you can take it back to roll it around with your people. This country's struggling and we're trying to fix it up. The humans have cleaned their city and now they're trying to clear brush and trees to make farmland right outside of the city. They need help in order to clear the maximum amount of forest and be ready to plant by next year. They could use your help."

"Why should we give a damn about humans?"

"Because you live on this land thanks to their kindness. They could've called in slavers a long time ago to collar you and sell you off to the highest bidder, but they didn't. Besides, you do this and you can have access to things that you wouldn't dream of."

Qin scoffed. "Like what?"

"Markets for one. You could sell items your tribe produces or trade and get a chance to sample domestic animals or plants or spices."

"We don't need shit from humans. This is our land and we've survived on our own since as far back as our Elders can remember," Qin proclaimed haughtily while raising his chin in the air.

"You survived, but that's not living. You scrap by for everything when you could do better if you got along with the humans and took what they had to offer and offered things in return. The humans get things from far away, further than you'd ever imagine. You can have comforts. You don't have toil all the time."

"Hard work never hurt anyone, pet."

Xol was about to continue when a mixed group of four daijinn approached. They went right to Qin and began speaking to him in the southern dialect that Xol could not understand. She knew body language, though, and she did not like what she was seeing. She tensed as Yu did the same, just in time, too. A large male took a swipe at Xol and she jumped back to avoid having her head taken off.

"Why is he attacking me?" Xol inquired, even though she was used to people coming at her for no reason at all.

"They think that any human pet doesn't deserve to grace their land," Yu answered.

"You don't own the land," Xol growled. "No daijinn owns land." At her snarl, the male came at her again.

"I think they disagree with what we all know is the truth," Yu remarked.

Xol did not respond, but continued to move out of the way from the male attacking her. He was getting frustrated with his inability to hit her. Another came at her from behind and she avoided her second attacker with the same skill. Over the years, Xol had gained more than her fair share of experience in a battle, so she easily put them both on their backs without the aid of her gift.

"Need we continue fighting or can we finally talk like civilized beings?" Xol huffed, glaring at the other daijinn.

Instead of responding, the two daijinn came at her. Xol planted them in the dirt just as quickly. Qin's gaze narrowed to her as she stood before him, so much shorter than he was, but so obviously looking down her nose at him. He even bared his teeth to her, as if he planned to attack next.

"I didn't come here for a fight. I came here to offer a better life for you and yours. I came here to offer kinship and a national identity. I'm offering you access to markets to make your life better. I'm here trying to give you a nation. It'd give your tribe a chance to grow from this little band that you have here into a real village, maybe even a town. But, you obviously don't want that. You want to live in the dust with resentment for people that didn't even harm you. You want to struggle and bear hatred on your soul. Well, carry on. May the Sun and the Moon have mercy on you," Xol said and she actually bowed to Qin before turning her back to him for the second time.

"Not your best business deal, boss," Yu said as Xol walked away.

"No, it's a good deal and it worked well. No one's running at our backs, right?" Xol pointed out.

"So?"

"They're curious of me now. They don't know what to make of me, especially after watching a little thing like me drop four of their own. They'll demand to know what I said to Qin. Now, if he tells them or not, they'll seek me out to find out what I'm all about. It'll work."

Yu shrugged and gave her a half-smile. "You know what you're doing, chief."

"Or that's the hope," she remarked as they made their way to the decrepit road.

"You know, you're changing on us. You're loosening up. It's a good thing."

"I'm loosening up while men at every turn want to kill my mate? How the hell is that a good thing?" she demanded with a frown.

Yu sighed and scratched his head. "None of those attempts on the taller boss' life was a serious threat, even though her uncles are very serious. Yeah, they want to kill her, but we would never let that happen. _You_ especially would never let that happen. You don't brood anymore, which you haven't in a while, but you seem happier. You're not as miserable and you show it. You don't seem burdened. You're enjoying being around your mate and playing with both your strengths."

Xol was silent momentarily. "I feel at peace with her and doing these things as we do … I feel the same and useful. Ileana once said that I was in my element in the forest. She thinks of me as natural, as nature, but I feel in my element at her side, helping her make her vision a reality."

"Your bond … I wish I could fathom it. I'm sure there's a reason she sees you as nature."

Xol nodded. "I am nature while she is civilization. We are two parts of the same whole and exist side by side. We each serve a purpose to fulfill the same need."

"So, you see yourself as the same then?"

Xol shrugged. "I don't think about myself. I think about her. She's the same."

Yu nodded, even though she knew that he did not understand what she meant. She doubted that she would be able to explain it, especially since she was far from elegant with words. It was something that Yu would just have to find out on his own when he was ready.

"How did things go?" Ileana asked as the pair returned.

"We have to let the message simmer," Yu remarked with a chuckle as he stepped into the field to go and clear more trees.

Ileana arched an eyebrow and turned to her beloved. "What happened?"

Xol shrugged. "Nothing important. They're mulling over my offer."

Ileana smiled and laughed, as if she knew that she was not getting the whole story. She let it go and went on to supervise the work. Xol stuck close to her, in case something happened.

-8-8-8-8-

The sun was setting and the work for the day was done. The men were paid for their work and they were quickly making their way back to the city. Ileana and Xol remained with their daijinn. They were about to leave, but were stopped when they noticed people approaching from the road. They quickly came together, even though Xol could tell there was no threat.

"Yu, I think you're going to need to translate," Xol said.

"What? You really are good at negotiating," Yu replied as ten members of the other daijinn tribe stood before them.

"What happened?" Ileana asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later," Xol replied as she turned her attention to the ten people. She nodded to them as a greeting. "What can we do for you?" she asked and Yu quickly translated.

A slim male stepped forward and conversed with Yu. Yu nodded through out the exchange. A couple of times, he pointed to Xol and Ileana and the other daijinn would nod.

"All right," Yu said. "So, they've basically come to talk about whatever it was you were offering before. They said that Qin doesn't have any right to speak for the whole clan. They want to hear out what you offered if they were willing to help, so I went through the list for them. They're not too sure if they would want anything for humans, though. They want to know what makes you think that it would do them any good."

Xol nodded. "It's simple. Being part of a nation is strength in numbers and powerful support. They're not hiding in the country, but part of it." She paused and gave Yu the chance to inform them. They nodded, but did not look too convinced.

"And?" Yu asked for them.

"Working with humans and trading with humans allow them to get things easier, which would make their lives easily. They'll be able to get their hands on items that they'd never be able to find on their own because some things just aren't in the surrounding forest. They could have bread, butter, domestic animals, vegetables, fruits, and other stuff that humans produce that's tasty. They could have different cloth and utensils and pots and everything. It'd allow their community to grow because they won't have to worry about things like getting food all the time, getting warmth, the ability to fix problems with their homes, and all sorts of other things," she replied.

Yu translated and waited as they spoke. "They need examples, chief. Something serious that would make them see why your way would be the best way."

Xol nodded. "Okay, tell them about when we first arrived on our island. We were small and couldn't get beyond our basic needs. We couldn't grow because everyone was always stressed out. Some of the females wanted to have babies, but couldn't conceive because of all of the stress, malnourishment, and all of the problems. But, when we finally were able to get enough food, warmth, and keep our shelters together, we were able to grow because the females could suddenly conceive and we were able to support new mouths. I hope that continued. There were a few babies when we left."

Yu snorted. "I doubt that worked out the way it should've. We could've been magnificent."

"Are you translating or lamenting?" Mei teased.

Yu rolled his eyes. "Can I lament first?"

"Stop whining. New beginning, new chances. Now, translate," Mei ordered.

Yu turned his attention back to the ten and translated. It was clear that he said more than Xol did, though. They all smiled as Yu finished with a grin of his own.

"What did you say?" Ileana inquired.

"Basically, I told them what the chief said, but I also explained how well listening to her has worked out for me, Mei, and Kwen. I told them about what she did for our former tribe and all of the good things we got from following her. I think that got through to them," Yu explained with a proud smile.

"Good idea," Mei congratulated him, reaching out and caressing his bicep.

Yu would have replied, but the other daijinn began talking. He nodded and talked back. The way he motioned around them with his arms, his group knew that he was explaining the project to them.

"They want to know what we'll give them if they show up tomorrow to work," Yu informed his leaders.

"Will rabbit meat work for them?" Ileana asked her mate.

Xol shook her head. "No, but bread will. They're living off the land, whatever the forest offers them. Bread's a luxury item for them. They'll need a little time to realize it, but it'll work."

"Okay, bread will not be a problem." Ileana smiled.

"Yeah, just when they come to work, they'll probably be a bit of a nuisance to you. They're not too trusting of humans yet, but they'll probably listen to the chief," Yu reported. "Once they get used to the idea that you and the chief are mates and the same person, though, it should be cool."

"Provided they get used to it," Kwen grumbled.

"If you can get used to it, anyone can," Mei stated.

The two groups reached an agreement and the next day, bright and early, the ten daijinn showed up to work. Yu had to supervise them since he was the only one that could speak to them. At the end of the day, Xol and Ileana made it a point of giving the daijinn their bread. They wanted the daijinn to see that they were a couple, a pair, mates, so that if they did start to look at Xol as someone in charge, then they would see Ileana in the same light.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana and Xol found themselves heading back to the Gathering Hall, as they had to do weekly. Ileana gave reports on her projects and Xol stood there, watching the crowd, especially the princes. Xol was also there to remind everyone that she was a constant and consistent part of Ileana's life no matter what.

"Duchess, before you go into the conference room, might we speak?" Councilwoman Julia requested as she marched up to the couple.

"It has to be quick. I am due in there in five minutes and my uncles will use tardiness to have me tar and feathered. I should hate to think what they would do to my beloved," Ileana remarked.

"This will be fast. I just want to keep you up to date on things. Your uncles have spies everywhere, but fortunately for you, the members of the Council on your side have some set out for you. We were able to capture and copy these correspondences." Julia eased several sealed documents into the duchess' hands, putting them underneath the notebook that Ileana carried.

"All right. Thank you. Anything else?"

"They will definitely attack the fact that you have began using the daijinn. They think you are trying to work with them to take over the city."

Ileana rolled her eyes. "Such imaginations. I can only hope someone says that out loud."

"You should know by now that the King is likely to believe the most outrageous nonsense than he is you if the right person bends his ear."

Ileana nodded, knowing that was true. She was surprised that she was still able to speak before her grandfather and the Council with the way her uncles vilified her and her projects. She did not even like to think of the way they maligned her group; she would not have been surprised if her lover and their tribe walked out of the city and never looked back. But, they always had her back and they were always there for her.

The conference room, Ileana found herself standing before most of the Council, the King, and the princes; the usual suspects as she had come to think of everyone. She spoke on the trash collection and how it was still going well in the city, as well in the other areas that it had been started in. She decided to go into her next desire before taking things to the farmland because she did not want to lose momentum when the arguing and slander started.

"So, since everything is going well with the trash pick up, what I was hoping to start was a building project to fix up some of the standing structures of the city as well as repairing the streets," Ileana announced.

Vincenzo held up his hand. "Wait, you cannot jump into this new project without telling us about the others you are working on. How goes the farmland?"

"She has been employing jinn without your permission, Poppa," Massimo proclaimed.

"Jinn?" Vincenzo echoed with a confused look. "Since when do we allow jinn to work on anything in the city or around the city? Who gave you permission to do such a thing, duchess?" he demanded. "Certainly not I!"

"No, Grandfather, you did not. This was a spur of the moment decision made by my beloved, so that we could clear more land and use the other workers to cut wood to prepare for home. This assures us more land in time for planting, which would mean more food. Was this a poor decision?" she inquired coyly.

Vincenzo was quiet briefly. "What did you promise them?" he countered.

"Simple loaves of bread. They work just as hard as everyone else," Ileana replied.

"She is building an army, Poppa! Soon, she will have these damned jinn taking over and turning our citizens into slaves!" Arrigo declared.

"Where is the proof for this? How would you know what I have used anyone for? Have you ever been to the farm? Have you seen what anyone is doing?" Ileana inquired. "Again, all you ever do is tear down what I try to build up. What have you built? What have you done?" Her voice was calm, but still bordering on sarcastic.

"This is not about me," Arrigo hissed.

"No, yet every meeting you and your brothers try to make it about you and posture and preen. If you hate what I do so much, do something beyond slander me. Counter my actions with your own actions because I stand before this Council and the King, I will tell you all that I will continue to do what I do. The daijinn will continue to show up and clear trees as well as be paid in bread. The men will continue to come to work and work the lumber as well as build the houses as well as start fencing off the area," she pronounced.

The room silent; Ileana was developing a talent for doing such a thing. She took the opportunity to continue on with what she wanted to talk about. By the time she was done, Council members had questions about her current projects. When those were all answered, they then had questions on what she wanted to do in the future. Her uncles did not have a chance to chime in; it was something that was happening more often when she gave such presentations.

"That went well," Xol commented as they left the Gathering Hall.

"Indeed it did, beloved. Now, I just have to figure out what to do about the buildings and roads," Ileana sighed.

"Let's finish the farm first. After that, we have to show Kei and Li how to set up a spot in the market place. They want to sell beadwork and buy vegetables," Xol explained.

"Vegetables? We could pay them in vegetables."

"No, they want the bread, too. This is good. It'll give them a chance to interact more with their countrymen and get the idea of being part of a nation. If it works out, too, they'll tell more people in their tribe. They'll be more keen to help if we need it, which we'll probably need. Besides, everybody should be able to depend on their neighbor and we're their neighbors."

Ileana smiled and leaned down to kiss her lover's cheek. "I swear, I love you more every time you open your mouth. Insightful, compassionate, and all mine. What did I do to deserve such a blessing?"

Xol blushed and Ileana laughed. She loved the sight of the deep crimson on her pale love. They returned home and let everyone know how the meeting went. The group was pleased to find out that things were still going their way.

"Sounds like your uncles are backing off," Miss Olga noted while jotting down thoughts in her own notebook. Glancing at Yu, Lucia, and Viktor, she wondered if Ileana's obsessive record keeping was contagious.

"No, I think they have something else cooking. I think I might have united them," Ileana chuckled as she held up the documents that Councilwoman Julia had given her.

Lucia looked up with worried hazel eyes. "United them? So, now they will be coming after you with triple the power?"

"Mother, do not worry. They have yet to get me and it is getting increasingly more dangerous for them to come after us," Ileana said.

"Yes, it does seem increasingly unpopular to stand against us," Viktor concurred. "You especially. I was in the city today with Miss Olga and heard a vicious argument occurring between a huge group against one man who seemed to think you were … what was the phrase, Miss Olga?" he tried to recall.

"Usurping bitch, I believe," Miss Olga replied disinterestedly.

"The group was ready to hang him right then and there," Viktor chuckled.

"The people appreciate your effort," Lucia said.

"Our effort. We are a group, Mother. We are all in this together," Ileana stated with a smile. They all smiled, too.

"So, what have your uncles been up?" Miss Olga asked curiously while nodding toward the documents that Ileana was holding.

The duchess shrugged. "I have not looked. I am not going to let it upset me, but I will read it tonight. For now, we have to work out what to do with the buildings and the roads."

"We also need to work on getting a bigger pin for the rabbits. I did not think they would breed so quickly and so many," Lucia remarked.

"Okay, Mother, you and Viktor work on the rabbits. We should be piling up skins and ready to ship those off," Ileana said.

They spent the evening working and Ileana put the documents given to her out of her mind. It was not until they parted ways for the night and she had to collect her things did she remember. As she and Xol lay down for the night, she decided to check and see what her supporters had come across.

"Will you stay up with me?" Ileana requested as they situated themselves in the bed.

Xol nodded, so they had to move again to get into different positions. Xol sat up with her back against a corner of the bed and Ileana settled on her beloved's chest. She read quietly while Xol kept herself busy by randomly kissing Ileana's face and neck. She then felt her mate tense.

"What's wrong?" the shorter woman asked.

"They have actually contacted my father. They are set to offer him money they do not have for him to just demand me back," the ebony-haired royal explained.

"Why do they think that would work? I mean, your grandfather hasn't sent you back yet."

"Probably because my father has not shown any interest in getting me back."

"Do you think your grandfather would send you back if your father demanded it?"

Ileana shrugged. "I am not sure. I think that he accepted me here because my mother wanted me, but now I see how easily influenced he can be, so he might possibly be swayed into sending me back. Not that I would return, of course."

"Well, we would be with you, my precious mate. No matter what happens, we are always with you."

Ileana smiled and turned her head to give her lover a kiss on the lips. Xol smiled as Ileana pulled back. Ileana leaned back into her beloved and moved Xol's hands to rest around her abdomen.

"Do not worry, my love. We have friends, apparently. We will keep track of my uncles and my father. Based on the missives here, my father does not seem very anxious to have me back. He seems distracted. He did not even ask about Viktor and my brother is his heir," Ileana said.

Xol arched an eyebrow. "He didn't ask about Viktor in his letters?"

"There are only five letters between him and my uncles, but he does not mention Viktor at all. He seems to be in a rush writing back that he will bother with them sometime later. I will look into finding out what is happening in Fleuriza because whatever it is, it has my father's attention now."

The smaller woman nodded. "That's good. Not that Fleuriza might be in trouble, but that your father doesn't seem to want you or Viktor back. I just don't want you to have to leave here. You're comfortable."

"And you are getting there."

Xol nodded. "I am. There's something about here … I feel … home."

Ileana smiled and turned around again. She kissed her lover again, but much deeper than before. Xol's hands gained minds of their own and inched their way up Ileana's torso. When they broke for air, Ileana turned her whole body around and sat up on her knees. Xol's hands never left her body.

"Welcome home, my love," Ileana whispered as she put her hands on the helm of her nightgown and pulled it off.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the group celebrates a job well done.


	14. 13: Small victories

13: Small victories

"The farm is looking good!" Yu hooted as they declared the project over. The group was standing just in front of all of the land that they managed to clear over the months, the rows that they managed to sow, the houses that they managed to build, and the thick fence that was meant to keep domestic animals in and wild animals away from the growing crops. The fencing also acted as borders, so each family knew where their land began and ended.

"Everyone did an excellent job," Ileana concurred as they watched volunteer families moving into the farmhouses. _It's up to them now_.

"Hey, are we too late for the ceremony?" one of the daijinn from the compound asked as he and a group of twenty daijinn came up behind Ileana and her group.

Xol and her tribe had become comfortable with over three dozen of the other daijinn tribe, which they learned was called Xokoatl. It roughly translated into "fire dragons" or "sun dragons." Supposedly, it showed that they were in the area since the dragons were awake, roughly as long as the humans claimed to be in the area. It was a way for them to claim the land along with the humans, even though it was against daijinn law, beliefs, and morals to claim land.

"Yes, Rai, you are all way too late for the ceremony," Mei replied. Over the last few months, a few of the Xokoatl daijinn had even taken the time to learn the human language. Mei and Xol had also taken time out of their lives to learn the southern dialect to communicate with the Xokoatl tribe. Ileana tried, but found that it was impossible for her to make some of the sounds.

"I knew it!" Rai threw his hands up while his ears flopped down. He was short for a daijinn, which put him about the same height as Ileana. He was thin, as were most of the young daijinn of the tribe, not that there were many of them. He had sparkling light blue eyes with freckled skin, which was rare for their kind. There was a story in the daijinn world that freckles meant demons of the underworld punctured the soul as they tried to drag the person into Hell. Obviously, they were seen as marks of bad luck and Rai was somewhat ostracized in his tribe. It was not something that he had to worry about with Xol and her tribe, though.

"What took you all so long? The King was out here and a bunch of the Council. It would have looked really good for all of you to be here. They'd see you guys are really a part of the community and everything," Mei explained.

"Sorry. We're still not used to being on the same schedule as humans and we had stuff. We wanted to get our gifts. You know you can't show up to a ceremony without a gift. It pisses the gods off," he reminded her.

Mei nodded. "You guys got gifts?" She inclined her head to see what the group had brought with them. "Hey, taller boss, our friends brought gifts," she announced with a smile.

"That is wonderful. You come with gifts for the farm?" Ileana asked curiously.

"Yeah. We figured that they'd need more than a fence to keep out animals looking to eat the food. So, we brought …" Rai paused and searched his mind for the right word. It did not come to him. " _Jians_."

"Jians?" Ileana echoed and turned to Xol.

"Guardians," Xol answered with a shrug.

"Guardians?" Ileana echoed just as confused as before. She expected to see talismans or idols, knowing how spiritual the daijinn could be.

"Guardians," Rai stated and then he pointed to the daijinn closest to him. She was holding a large, gray puppy.

"Dogs?" Ileana was still not following.

"Daijinn don't distinguish between dogs and wolves, boss. We don't distinguish between wild and domestic animals really. If we raise dogs, we call them guardians because they're typically there to protect something, usually babies. This is a big deal. For them to have guardians in a tribe that barely can have kids, they're telling you that this farm is just as important as a child," Yu explained.

Ileana nodded and turned to Rai. "Wow, thank you guys for the huge gesture. This is too much."

"No, it's just enough. This farm needs it. And our relationship with our neighbors need it, too. Yes, we helped build this, but it was for payment. We want them to see we're here for more than just pay," Rai said and he smiled down at Xol.

"I'm sure they'll return the gesture as best they can. But, we're all in this together, even if they don't give you guys a gift in return," Xol replied. "Besides, the food they grow is going to benefit us all."

"Which is why it needs to be protected. Everyone's going to go give one family a pup and tell them how to take care of them," Rai explained.

"Oh, well, do not let us keep you all," Ileana said and she motioned for them to go ahead. "Come into the city and up to the palace around sunset. We are going to have a celebration feast now that this is over and I would love for you all to be a part of that."

There were nods to show that they understood. Most of the group walked off, but Rai stayed around. He walked off with Xol and her tribe, chatting with Yu about what they were going to do next. He seemed really interested and more than willing to volunteer to help.

"Rai has adopted us," Ileana noted.

"It seems he's trying. I think it's good," Xol replied.

"Yes. I wonder if they will show up for the dinner. I would like for them all to be comfortable with us, like Rai is," Ileana stated.

"I'll tell him to make sure they come. They're a lot more friendly now that we've shown them we're willing to be fair with them and give them items they need, even if they don't know they need it," Xol reasoned.

Ileana nodded. "Speaking of that, would you like to go check on the few stands in the market place? I want to go in that direction anyway to see how the building restoration is going over there."

"Sounds good."

Once they were inside of the city, the group broke apart with Rai deciding to stick with Xol. He did not speak with her or Ileana, just walked behind them. Ileana glanced back every now and then, curious about him. Ileana had learned that many of the daijinn that helped them were there studying Xol as much as they were there for the bread. She knew something happened at the daijinn compound months ago, but Xol never said what it was. She knew that the working daijinn would watch Xol, track her every movement, but rarely spoke to her. They seemed more comfortable talking with Yu, Mei, and even Kwen, who still did not like the "uppity bastards" as he described the other tribe.

"Stands first or the buildings?" Xol asked.

"We should do the stands. The buildings are scattered on our way home, after all," Ileana replied.

Xol nodded. They made their way to the growing market place and the first stop of stands that they would be visiting. The decorated beadwork of Kei and Li, daijinn of the Xokoatl tribe, caught their eyes before the two daijinn did. They had been the first daijinn stand in the marketplace. It had been rough goings for them until nobles took note of the stand. The beautiful beads were now something every noble wanted because they had never seen anything like it. It helped that members of the royal family, like Lucia, Ileana, and Viktor sported the daijinn beads on occasion. The designs had started out as belts, bracelets, and necklaces, but now they were getting orders to put them on clothing, hats, and shoes.

"Hey, Kei, how's it going?" Xol asked.

"It's going good, going good," Kei answered. She was a tall, but thin female and dressed in traditional buckskin. She had shaggy, long blond and red hair with tiny ears poking out of the top.

"Any problems?" Xol inquired, glancing around. There had been some of those early on. Kei and Li had not really known how to interact with humans and the humans were not sure what to make of the daijinn, who had been so separate from human society for as long as everyone could remember. It had been hard for them to make any trades or sales at first.

"No, we've been doing really well, really well. We've actually been trying to undo the damage from when Li scared everybody those first few weeks. Now, every time he's standing in front, people just eye us instead of coming to buy something," Kei reported with a laugh.

"Well, at least you don't have to worry about teenagers coming through and throwing things at you anymore," Xol pointed out with a smile. That had been a horrible situation and Li had almost killed several teenage boys that day. Thankfully, Xol and Yu had stopped him because that certainly would have spoiled all chances of the humans and daijinn interacting in any positive manner.

"That's true. We're doing fine. I never would've thought humans had so many interesting things or would be interested in things from us, but they love the beads. We've had people who don't have any money come over and trade things with us, which is better than the rich people who have money because we still don't really understand money," Kei laughed while throwing her hands up in a shrug.

"Has Yu been coming by every week to help you with the money?" Xol asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Yeah, and he's great. He helped us buy eggs last week! Eggs! A whole basket full! They were huge, nothing like the eggs we find in the forest! When we got back home, everyone wanted one. We shared the eggs and others shared their bread and some hunted meat. It was wonderful, even though some people didn't want to come because they don't agree with all of this. We would've invited you, but it was all spur of the moment. Next time, though, we know to send for you and yours," Kei reported excitedly. She then looked over at Ileana. "You, too, since you're her mate and everything and you're really the one that gave us this chance."

Ileana smiled and shook her head. "I merely backed my mate. She gave you this chance." She was happy for the daijinn because she had never seen someone so overjoyed with having eggs. Ever since they began dealing with the Xokoatl tribe, she had seen tears of joy for things that never would have crossed her mind, like eggs, noodles, milk, cotton, and glassware.

Kei grinned. "I have to admit, I don't understand how you two work. I mean, humans and daijinn shouldn't be mixing, but it works. You work and this works. We give the humans stuff and they give us stuff. Stuff that's amazing and they're just as amazed by our stuff. We should've been doing this a long time ago. Life would've been better, as you said, Xol."

Xol shrugged. "I just know through experience. I'm glad everything's going well for you. We need to check on the others. Let me know if you need anything."

"We will," Kei replied before the trio walked off.

"That is something we need to look into. We need to educate the daiijnn about money and finances. If they are going to trade and deal with humans, they need to figure out money," Ileana said.

"I'll get Yu to take a couple of people under his wing. He learned about money like it was nothing when we first started trading with humans," Xol replied. She then turned. "Rai, think you'll be interested in learning how to handle money?"

Rai yelped and looked down at her with wide eyes. "Me? You want me to do something important?" he asked in shock, pointing to himself as if to be sure that she meant him.

"Well, it's more important than felling a tree. Some of your tribesmen seem intent on working with humans and selling with humans. You're one of the few who bothered to learn the human language. Ready to go a little further than that?" Xol inquired.

"Will I get to be around you guys more often?"

"Yup."

"Then I'll give a try."

Xol smiled as they continued on. The next stand that they checked on traded in wild berries and roots as well as selling baskets when they could. They were doing as well as the stand with the beadwork. They were also as thankful to Xol and Ileana as the other pair. A trio that sold skins and meat owned the last stand. The stand was popular, but still needed work.

"Lu," Ileana called with a sigh. Usually, she would let Xol deal with the daijinn, but she was getting royally annoyed with the trio, who could not seem to listen.

"What?" Lu huffed as he came over.

"We spoke about this. You have to have a cleaner stand. This is going to attract rats and insects and cause a problem," Ileana stated for what felt like the hundredth time. She motioned to the bloody meat that was just on display on the wooden plank that acted as the counter for their stand.

"We're trying!" Lu threw his hands up defeat. "Meat is bloody. It's never there for long. People love antelope."

"Lu, it's not about how long it's there," Xol sighed and shook her head. "The scent will linger, rats will come, and then people are going to get sick. There's better ways to go this. A container for the meat might be a good start."

"Container?" Lu echoed and scratched the top of his head.

"Yes, put the meat in something. Something that will at least hold the blood and can be covered, so all of these insects aren't buzzing on it," Xol stated while waving away flies.

"Like what?" Lu asked and his two partners came up behind him to find out what was going on.

"Put the meat in bowls and cover them with thin sheets or put them in clear glass," Ileana suggested. "Anything but just sitting it out on the counter."

"But, no one would see that we're selling meat and glass is expensive," Eli complained. He was to the left of Lu.

Ileana sighed and rubbed her temples. "That is what the signs are for. If you end up selling contaminated or dirty food business is going to dry up very quickly for you. No one wants meat that will get them sick, which is why we keep talking to you three about this. There are three of you. One should go scout out and see how the human butchers sell their meat."

"OH!" they all chimed in.

Ileana sighed again, but was somewhat happy to know that sometimes daijinn could be just as thick as humans. They were not very different outside of appearance. Once they had the trio clear on how they should have their stand set up, they moved on, knowing that within a week, they would be telling the young men the same things again. They checked on a few stands of their human friends and found everything was going well. They then moved along to the building projects, which were doing all right.

-8-8-8-8-

"I hope I have enough space for everyone," Lucia said with an excited smile as she stood in the common room that was being set up for the feast. "This is the first time that I have hosted a feast in the villa. I mean, over the years I have had dinner parties with friends, but nothing on a scale larger than fifteen people."

"It will be fine, Mother. We doubt more than twenty of the daijinn will show up and probably not even that many. Most of them still keep us at an arm's length as they try to figure out how to handle us," Ileana said, referring to her tribe, but also to her and Xol as a couple and to Xol as an individual. They just had the Xokoatl daijinn utterly baffled.

"Now, do I mix the daijinn and the Councilmembers or not? Do we want them to try to get comfortable with each other or should we just separate them and make sure they are comfortable?" Lucia wondered aloud.

"Separate for now. It is their first banquet together," Ileana reminded her.

"All right. I will have the servants start bringing in the tables and everything. We should be ready in no time," Lucia smiled.

They were ready before the guests began arriving. Dozens of Councilmembers showed up. Only a dozen daijinn decided to show up, even though Rai had spread the word through all of the daijinn that interacted with Xol and her tribe, which were almost forty individuals. Clearly, they were not comfortable with the idea of dining with the humans and possibly the other tribe. The fact that the tribal Elders and their chief had outright ordered them not to go added to the low daijinn attendance. The King and his sons were the last to arrive and all of the humans rose to greet the royal family; Xol and her tribe stood, also.

" _Hey, their chief stood up. Maybe we should, too_ ," Rai whispered to his group in their native language.

" _Why? He's not our chief and she's not our leader_ ," Lu pointed out.

" _Yet you defied orders and came here. She's obviously not a nobody to you_ ," Kei countered as she climbed to her feet. Her business partner and cousin, Li, followed her to his feet. He was one of the few large males in the younger generation of the tribe. Once he stood, the others followed.

"Your highness, thank you for gracing this party with your presence," Lucia said very formally to her father, like anyone would who hosted a party that the King attended.

Vincenzo was seated on a platform above everyone else. He allowed his sons to join him, but also called for Lucia and her offspring to join them. Xol went along, of course. The rest of their tribe stayed situated where they were, which was close by.

"Let the celebration begin!" Vincenzo announced dining began along with music playing. There was poetry recited and stories told, but most people did not pay attention to the entertainment. They spoke amongst themselves and enjoyed the variety of food.

" _Why do you think they follow a person arrogant enough to name herself after the sun goddess and actually mated to a human?_ " Lu pondered in a low voice, hoping not to be heard over the din of the feast. He even spoke in the daijinn language for cover. Little did he know, his wish was not granted.

" _It is kinda disgusting_ ," Eli agreed with his business partner.

" _And, yet here you two are. You disobeyed the chief and elders to come here. Hell, you disobeyed your own parents to come here. Why'd you come if you don't like her or her mate?_ " Kei asked.

" _She's weird, but I like her. She knows stuff. She's right about stuff. I mean, this thing with the humans was brilliant. No one in our tribe ever thought about this, but she comes along and says it like it's the most logical thing in the world_ ," Lu replied.

" _Then wouldn't that tell you why they follow her?_ " Kei pointed out.

Lu shrugged. " _I guess, but I wouldn't follow her. Just because she knows this human crap doesn't mean she's a good leader. I mean, look how short she is. She probably can't protect any of them. Hell, that's probably why there's only four of 'em. The rest probably got killed because she's so damned weak_."

Rai shook his head. " _You didn't see the second time she came to the village. Actually, a bunch of guys missed it. She's far from weak. Plus, there's something about the way that she looks at people when she's being challenged. She looks like the sun goddess herself, like she could take down an army. She took down four warriors like they were nothing_."

" _She did challenge Qin that time in the woods and he was so shook by her stare that he didn't move_ ," a female, Abi, reported with awe. " _There is something about her that's beyond understanding and she's helping us when she didn't have to. She's not weird. She's great_."

" _Really great. Like you said, she knows stuff. She's making things better for us. I hope she stays interested in us and let's us be in this nation like she said she would. It's working for us_ ," Li stated. There were some nods and then they focused on their food.

A table away, Yu and Mei laughed a little. They shared a look with Kwen and silently communicating their understanding of the other daijinn. Xol was drawing them in the same way that she drew in members of her tribe.

"I think we're actually going to get bigger in the future," Mei said with a smile.

"Good, I need less annoying company," Kwen proclaimed.

"Oh, I know the feeling," Miss Olga remarked dryly.

Kwen sneered at her. "Hopefully, we can get rid of people in the future, too."

Ileana and Xol watched their group from their perch and shook their heads to the usual antics. They were drawn from that as Ileana's uncles started up, which they expected. Even after months, the princes still went after Ileana in any way that they could at any time they could.

"How could you throw a party on palace grounds and not have it in the main hall, Lucia? You are letting your own daughter corrupt you," Massimo huffed, frowning in his older sister's direction.

Lucia smiled, pretending to be oblivious to his attitude. "I was curious if I could hold such a banquet here. Of course, there is not as much space here as the main hall, but there is enough for the people closest to the projects. I am sure Poppa does not mind. Right, Poppa?"

Vincenzo smiled. "No, it is nice to see you enjoying your home. For so many years, you were here alone and I worried. This place needs life in it and you have given it that."

"Thank you, Poppa. My children inspire me," Lucia replied and she pulled Viktor to her for a hug. Viktor grinned and returned the embrace.

"You should not get so attached, Lucia. One day Viktor will have to leave, after all. No matter what, he is still his father's only heir," Arrigo pointed out with a hint of a cruel smirk.

Viktor frowned. "I do not have to do anything I do not wish to do. At the moment, I am quite content with my mother and sister," he stated and Ileana smiled. It was great seeing her brother stand up for himself.

"So, you would abandon your country just like that? I suppose you would do the same easily to this country then," Arrigo reasoned.

"I have abandoned nothing. I supported my sister. I am loyal to those who are loyal and loving to me. My father has never been those things and I doubt that will change. Besides, it is my decision," Viktor replied with a shrug.

"No, everything you do is by the grace of the King," Riccardo stated. "You and your sister do not seem to comprehend that. Nothing that you have done is your decision, so if one day the King decides that you should go, you will have to."

"But, why would Grandfather send me away?" Viktor wondered aloud with an arched eyebrow.

"He would not, Viktor. Your grandfather enjoys having you around just like I do," Lucia assured her son, patting him on the shoulder.

"You do not understand, though, Lucia. Poppa is responsible for our whole nation and in order to keep peace he would have to give Viktor back to his father or there could be an international incident. It could even lead to war. He has a responsibility to make sure the nation remains safe," Massimo explained as if speaking to a small child.

"Poppa is the King. He can do what he likes. Vladimir has no authority here," Lucia argued.

"Poppa is responsible for the country, Lucia. Stop thinking like a child. Yes, these are your children, but they are also Vladimir's and he might want them back. After all, Viktor his heir and Ileana is some sort of criminal," Massimo said.

Ileana arched an eyebrow. Massimo showed that he was still corresponding with her father, which she knew as she continued to get copies of the letters. Vladimir certainly painted her to be miscreant in need of severe punishing.

"Criminal? What crimes would you say I committed? How would you even know? Mother is the only person I told of my reasons for coming and Mother is also the only one with knowledge of how the Fleurizan legal system works, so what would lead you to believe I am a criminal?" Ileana asked curiously, smiling on the inside. She would love for one of her uncles to trip up and let it slip that he was dialoguing with a foreign king. Councilmembers and nobles would start screaming coup d'état before they even heard the end of the story.

Massimo frowned. "I am merely inferring what is possible from the stories you have told of home."

"What have I said that would lead you to believe me a criminal?" Ileana asked, leaning in with a smile on her face. "Grandfather, have you ever thought me to be a criminal?"

"Of course not. I would not allow a criminal to sit with us, family or not," Vincenzo declared.

Ileana smiled brightly. "I knew you could not think so little of me, Grandfather."

"He is just being kind, Ileana. We all know that you are a strange bird. Soon enough, people will grow tired of you and your oddness and you will feel their sting," Riccardo stated with venom.

Ileana only smiled and decided to show how "strange" she was. She put her arms around Xol and pulled the smaller female to her. She kissed Xol's cheek; that was as far as they would go with public displays of affection. Funny enough, the display caught the attention of the daijinn more than the attention of any of the humans at the feast.

The princes frowned, but they eventually gave up on baiting Ileana for the night. The party was decent. No one had a problem with anyone, but most people kept to themselves or their usual circle. The daijinn seemed to have a good time. The Councilmembers expressed happiness in the party as well as the hope in future projects. Before leaving, Councilwoman Julia passed Ileana some documents.

"Is she still passing you things about your father?" Miss Olga asked Ileana once the room was clear.

"Yes. She seemed to think this was extra important, though, as she never would have passed me this with so many people still around," Ileana replied.

"Are you going to read it now or wait until later as always?"

"Later. I will give you the gist of it when I am done," Ileana said. She shared all of the letters from her father and uncles with Miss Olga. She knew that she should tell her mother, too, but she did not want to worry the woman. Miss Olga worried, too, but she contained it much better.

Miss Olga nodded in agreement and they parted ways for the night. Xol and Ileana went to their room and prepared for bed. Once they were done with their nightly ritual, they settled into bed. Xol sat up against the back of the bed and Ileana leaned against her. While the duchess read, Xol nuzzled and kissed her neck. Eventually, she noticed her mate grinning.

"Why so happy?" Xol asked curiously.

"My father. He tells my uncles to stop writing him for he has his own problems and must deal with trouble in Fleuriza. He does not have time to bother with his troublesome progeny," Ileana remarked with a light laugh.

"So, he won't be helping your uncles by demanding you back for your so-called crimes?"

"He does not have the time. I am sure he has his hands full with nobles trying to take his throne, claiming him weak and things of that nature. Not to mention the amount of corruption, which seems to be growing amongst officials and nobles. They seemed to be trying to steal all they could by the time we left."

"Wasn't that his fault, though? They were people he put in places of power," Xol pointed out.

"Yes, it was his fault. Everyone that now poses a problem got his position from my father. Let him deal with it. We have our own problems to handle."

Xol nodded. "But, our bed isn't the place for problems. Let's keep negative energy out of here unless one of us needs comfort."

Ileana turned and smiled at her lover. "You are very right about that. Our bedroom should not bear our problems unless one of us can fix the problem."

"I actually have a problem that you can fix."

Ileana laughed, knowing one of her beloved's not-so-subtle hints was on the way. "Is the problem that my lips are not attached to yours?"

"Oh, that is definitely part of the problem. We're also both overdressed and I'm not feeling enough of your body."

Ileana grinned and took her lover up on her offer. With a weight lifted off of her shoulders now that she knew her father would not send for her or Viktor, she was able to let loose. She and Xol got no sleep that night and slept through the day. No one disturbed them.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Vincenzo shows he's not totally incompetent.


	15. Part II  14: Renewal

Part II

14: Renewal

Ileana found herself standing in her grandfather's office. Vincenzo was sitting at his elegant desk, looking out the large window. Ileana waited for him to speak and made herself busy by moving her lover in front of her. She ran her hands through Xol's wild mane. Xol purred briefly, but stopped as soon as Vincenzo opened his mouth.

"You know, Ileana, I never imagined someone like you would exist in our family. From what I have been through these last twenty years, I had given up. For half of my reign, I did not care and I helped drive this country into the ground to enhance my own desires. For twenty years, all I cared about was what was best for me and what I wanted, not even considering how much I was ruining one of the greatest countries on the planet. I helped wipe away every great thing we ever did, the trade, the architect, the farming, the art, the technology, everything. I drove away most of the educated people that were here because they could see that I would be the ruin of them all. Most people think I do not see, but I know my sons would do the same," Vincenzo sighed.

"You do?" Ileana asked in surprise.

"I know them. _I_ am them. I know what they would do. They have no real concerns for this country, for its people. They want to rule for the power and the fact that they could have anything they want. Little do they know, but I was waiting to see if one of them changed and if they did not, I would leave the throne to Lucia when I died."

"Mother? But, she would not want the throne."

Vincenzo shook her head. "Yes, I know, but she would have been the best pick out of the choices that I had. She is the one with the compassion and love that this country sorely needs. This country needs someone that would put the people ahead of his own needs. But, I do not have to burden Lucia with such a task as I now know who deserves the throne and who would be best for the job."

Ileana knew where that was going and her chest tightened. "Grandfather …"

"You have been here for a year and you have done more in this year than I have done in the fifteen that I have been trying to fix my mistakes. I never knew what to do. I was always looking for opinions and hiding behind tradition to conseal the fact that I did not know who to trust and who to listen to. You come in all action and fire, ideas, and inspiration. You care about this country and everyone in it. When I said everyone, I mean everyone. I do not think that anyone even considered the daijinn in this country for the past hundred years. We had forgotten they were there. I understand why you would care and everything …" Vincenzo motioned to Xol. "But, this is beside the point. You have improved the country by leaps and bounds and I know you will continue to do so."

"Grandfather, I am honored …" Ileana stopped to take a deep breath. "You know I did not do these things because I wanted this …"

Vincenzo smiled and laughed while waving her words away. "I did not think that you did. You have been far to busy with other matters to think about the throne. Besides, I do not think that it has really settled into your mind that a woman can have the throne here."

Ebony locks swayed as she shook her head. "Honestly, it has not. I am still getting accustomed to politics here."

"And yet you press on. You are impressive and the fact that you care about this nation and its people is a bonus," the King declared with a proud grin. "You would take care of this nation as is necessary. You would take care of everyone in it."

"Well, this is something that I actually learned from my father. While he is a terrible human being, father, and definitely a terrible husband, he is a good king to a certain extent. He let it be known that a ruler has to do what is best for the country. Sometimes, he would do things that were questionable for the good of the country, but he was thinking of Fleuriza. I am sure this comes from the fact that no king wants the country to fail under his reign and every king wants something to pass onto his son so that his legacy lives on after his death."

Vincenzo nodded, but rolled his eyes. "Your father. I suppose he had to do one thing right in his treatment of you."

Ileana shrugged. "He is a product of his own upbringing. I have let it go, I suppose." She felt the rumble of a growl in Xol's chest, so she knew that her lover did not forgive him.

"I cannot let it go, although he is one of the reasons why I changed."

Ileana's brow wrinkled. "What do you mean, Grandfather?"

"When Lucia came back from Fleuriza, she was broken. He had broken her. I could not understand how he could do that. When she was a child, she was the light of her mother's eye. She was loving and energetic. She mellowed out a little as a teen, especially when her mother died, but she was still this spark to people. When she returned, she was a shell and he had done that. Having total disregard for her, he had done that, and as I started caring about getting her back together, I realized I had done to this nation what he had done to her," Vincenzo explained, sniffling a bit. He put his hand to his mouth and took a deep breath to compose himself.

"I did not realize she was so … damaged …" Ileana whispered, blinking back tears that wanted to fall for her mother.

"You were just a child when it happened, so of course you would not realize it. Besides, her pain was somewhat cultural. To take a mother away from her children in Chuachin is worse than torturing and killing her. The abuse that she had to put up with there was a true terror for her, beyond whatever he was doing mentally and physically to her. Just keeping her from you was more than enough to torment her. Making matters worse, she was all alone. I do not think that she really recovered until you and Viktor came here. She never really had friends and would only go to events if we were there. Every now and then, she tried to come out of the shell, but she never quite made it until you and Viktor."

Ileana smiled brightly. "I am glad for that. I think coming here helped save us all." Secretly, she used to worry that if her father did not kill her, the darkness that he had planted inside of her would grow and consume her. That idea frightened her more than death could.

"That is good. That is good. So, do you have any objections to taking the throne?" he asked to bring the conversation back to the point.

"One, actually," Ileana admitted. She leaned down and placed a kiss to her lover's head. "I can only do this if Xol is recognized as … well, I suppose my consort would be the title. But, I need her word to hold as much weight as mine. She is the main reason that I am able to do the things that I do."

Vincenzo nodded. "This would be something that would have to be argued about with the Council. While I can choose who to give the throne to, the Council must approve. You would have to prove yourself within five years time, which I think you can do. You just would have to convince the Council to give you the five years and to give Xol the power of a queen."

"All of the Council?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, not all of the Council. The majority. You will have to learn more about the Council, too. You have to learn how they function, how to use it to your advantage, and what you can get away with. While they like to think they have power, if you know how to play with them, you have the power."

Ileana nodded, surprised that her grandfather was trying to impart wisdom on her. Of course, she figured that he had to have picked up something after ruling for over thirty years. He did not seem to use his knowledge much, though.

"I will guide you as best I can through the process, but I am abdicating to you the day before the Feast of the Pure. It will hold great significance for you to come to power on the purest and holiest day of the year. Your coronation will take place right before the festivities. People will love it," Vincenzo smiled.

"You have thought this out well."

"I have had the time. You have slowly taken over all of my duties and did not even realize it," he pointed out.

Ileana blinked in surprise. "What?" Mentally, she went through the things that her grandfather had been quietly suggest that she do and realized that he had been given her tasks that he should have taken care of.

"Yes, you have. You might not realize it because you have competent people working with you, doing important jobs. This is why it must be you, Ileana. You will be the next ruler of Chuachin. You and Xol as you tell it, which is fine since the daijinn will probably follow one of their own sooner than a human and a human would be a fool not to follow you."

Ileana smiled coyly. "Thank you, Grandfather."

He shook his head and waved her off. "Do not thank me. This job of ruling is tough. I would not wish it on my kin, but you seem to thrive at it. You are a unique member of the Bakunarius family line."

She knew that was a compliment and smiled again. "I have been told that I am merely unique."

"Unique and strong, which you will have to be. Your uncles will not accept this and the few Councilmembers that they have with them will definitely stand in your way. Are you prepared to deal with that?"

"I have been dealing with it for the past year," she reminded him.

He smiled and nodded. "Indeed you have. Are you prepared for the times when the people will hate you? There will be days when you can do no right in their eyes and things will only get worse as they are reminded about your difference when Xol is always at your side."

Ileana smirked. "If Xol is by my side then I can do anything. My beloved gives me strength and she always will. They will hate me sometimes and I will go on. They will love me other times and I will go on. I am ready for what you wish to grant me, Grandfather, and I promise to do the best I can to make this nation great again. Under my rule, I will make sure no one thinks that we are barbarians," she vowed.

Vincenzo smiled proudly and his eyes beamed with emotion. "I think this is the truth, which is why it has to be you. You have to lead this nation."

Ileana only nodded to accept the responsibility. She would save her speeches for the announcement and for the coronation. She would undoubtedly need all of her words, then.

-8-8-8-8-

The city was getting ready for the Feast of the Pure; the holiest day in the Chuachin culture. According to their religion, it was the day that God created the world and the day that world refreshed itself. It was the country's New Years; the day that everything began anew.

The eve of the Feast was also a holiday of sorts. It was the day that everyone was supposed to try to fix their mistakes of the past year, so they could start the year new like the planet; they could become pure again. Ileana supposed that was what her grandfather was going to do and he was going to do it in a very public fashion, which was fine. Most of the nobles would be gathering at the Dragon Square and they would announce their mistakes and ask for forgiveness in public.

"You have to dress in orange and gold today. The day of the feast everyone is to wear blue and the royal family wears indigo," Lucia explained as she held up the robes that she wanted Ileana to wear.

"Mother, what time is it?" Ileana groaned, pulling the blankets over her head. She was in bed, as was her lover. Her mother did not seem to care about that and had burst into the room with energy and excitement.

"Time to get up. Have you not noticed this whole week that everyone rises early? There is so much to do to get ready for the Festival. Now, come on, both of you. Out of bed and into these clothes," Lucia ordered, clapping her hands together.

Xol groaned. "Go, Ileana, so I can sleep."

"Traitor," Ileana muttered. "Mother, we did not go to sleep until late last night." Her grandfather had her buried in the library whenever she was not working, especially late at night.

"Does not matter. You are getting up now. There is much to do and we have to get to the Square soon," Lucia informed them.

"Why?" Ileana asked, knowing that she being drawn into a conversation for the sole purpose of getting her out of bed.

"There is the cleansing morning meal, which is attended by all of the nobles. We must all then go to the Great Temple for baptizing and confession. It takes hours and we have to do it before the sun sets, so there is no time to sleep," Lucia stated.

Ileana groaned, but she tossed the covers away. Xol growled as the morning chill hit her. The couple marched out of bed; thankfully, Xol was dressed in pajamas for once to avoid offending Lucia with her nakedness. The couple went to bathe and found that their bath that morning had to be ritualized for the holy day. It took them almost an hour to be properly cleaned.

By the time they were done, the servants that dressed them were holding the robes that Lucia brought in. The robes were more elaborate than anything the pair were used to wearing, Xol especially since she did not truly have a style of dress. Beyond the silk robes, there was jewelry to wear, ribbons to tie, and hair to put up.

Xol fussed, moving around like a fidgeting child. At one point, she reminded everyone of griping kitten, along with a strange growl that she made. It certainly did not help that her elongated canines were displayed when she made the noise and her ears rotated. Her long, feline-like tail even swayed, but she was made to look like a proper lady after it all.

"Xol, one would think that you would be willing to wear the colors of your namesake. Instead, dressing you is like dressing a lion," Lucia remarked with a smile.

"Why do I need to wear this? I'm not celebrating," Xol grumbled. She clawed at her long sleeves, but did not tear them. It was her first time in Chuachin clothing, even though it was not the first festival that she would attend. Before, no one bothered her about it, understanding that since she was not a human, she would not participate.

"You are going to be a part of this, Xol. Think of it as your duty as Ileana's spouse," Lucia stated.

"Is it really necessary to torment my beloved in such a manner?" Ileana asked to be sure.

"It is. Today and tomorrow are the days that you and Viktor show that you are truly Chuachinese and not foreigners. This is the most important time in our culture. You have to do your best to show you understand that, even if you do not understand it," Lucia told them.

Xol nodded while Ileana took her hand. They met up with the rest of their group to find Viktor and Miss Olga were dressed in gold and orange robes. The daijinn half of their tribe were dressed in their traditional clothing, but they had on yellow and orange beads, apparently celebrating in their own way. They did give Xol odd looks, but wisely decided against questioning their leader's new gear.

"All right, today is all about making amends, fixing whatever troubles we can, and forgiveness whether it is about giving it or accepting. We want to go into the New Year fresh, as fresh and new as possible. It is a chance to let go of any pain, suffering, or torment that we might have or might have inflected. It is a very enlightening time," Lucia announced to them.

"Sounds like a nice thought, but how often does this actual work?" Miss Olga wondered aloud.

"For some people, it helps quite a bit. During this time, you will find most people more agreeable and definitely nicer. It is not unusual for people to give gifts, small tokens, even to strangers. You will see it on the street. You might even see it at the breakfast. Some of the nobles are actually very good people as are some of the politicians. I promise you, it is a nice time. You will all enjoy it," Lucia vowed.

Since they had never experienced it before, the group could not argue with her about that. They went to breakfast, which was very light. It was mostly just bread and water. Some fruit and honey were brought out, but it was not there very long. The water was the important part as it was viewed as the key to life, the key to renewal, the key to everything. Water had been the thing that made their country great, as it was located in between two seas and led them to commercial success. Water kept their forest green and their farms fresh. Water gave them everything.

There was a lot of friendly chatting and there were gifts exchanged. Everyone was full of life. There were hugs, kisses, smiles, pats on the back, and laughter. It was a great atmosphere like Lucia promised. There was more time spent enjoying each other than eating and Ileana could already understand the brilliance of the holiday. It was about bringing people together as much as it was about starting over.

"I see your mother managed to get your beloved dressed up for the holiday," Vincenzo said to Ileana while nodding toward Xol. "She looks miserable."

"She is just upset because she is not used to the clothing. The sleeves have been especially troublesome. She keeps scratching her arms," Ileana pointed out.

"She does not wear long sleeves ever," Vincenzo just realized.

"No, she gets hot quickly, so she does not want something that is going to make her warmer than she needs to be. But, she is a lovely sight," Ileana remarked and she smiled at her lover.

"Must I wear the sleeves long? I don't have a problem with everything else, but the sleeves are too much," Xol pouted. She was not used to the jewelry, but it did not bother her much. Sure, she would not be able to sneak up on anyone, but she should not need to. It was actually nice to have her hair designed and she considered doing it more often to make herself more presentable to her mate. _I should at least brush it more often_.

"You cannot damage the outfit," Lucia warned the small female. "It is essential for you and Ileana to be in the clothing that you are in."

"Why, Mother?" Ileana asked curiously.

Lucia smiled. "These garments show that you are married."

Xol yelped in surprise while Ileana smiled, too. "Well, that settles it on your sleeves. Leave them alone, my love. I want everyone to know we are together."

Xol nodded, but did not say anything. She blushed to the point where her whole face was burning red. Ileana continued smiling, knowing that her beloved was nervous about what was essentially a public display of their relationship.

"I still haven't gotten you a ring," Xol whispered, her voice full of dread. In all of her bartering early on, the thought of a ring had completely slipped her mind when she was looking for presents for Ileana.

"You have plenty of time, beloved. If things go well, perhaps we can actually get married. Would you mind?" Ileana asked.

Xol shook her head. "I told you, I'd do it if we could. I don't mind letting the world know. It's just a little weird to be high profile and everything. You know, most of my life was about being quiet and out of the way. Now, I'm always in the way."

"But, in a good way. You are always visible because you are always doing good."

Xol did not dispute that. She did not really mind being seen as long as she was not bothered. She did not expect pain from being seen anymore and she definitely could fight back if necessary.

"Come on, you two, it is time to go," Lucia told the couple as everyone rose to their feet.

The large group made their way out of the palace and down to the city in carriages decorated in gold and orange. The city looked so different compared to a year ago. The canals were clear with some boats drifting up and down with cargo and people. The streets were clean and the main avenues were fixed, smooth. Buildings were in the process if being restored and renovated. The city was busy again and life was slowly returning to its former glory.

As the carriages moved down the streets, people came out of nowhere to put gifts into the open structures. They were small things, like flowers and fruit, but still very touching. Some citizens followed the nobles' caravan as they made their way to the Dragon Square and just a little beyond. Everything was gold and orange in the Square. Banners, laurels, and ribbons hung from the buildings. The train of carriages stopped in front of the Great Temple, the holiest building in the city.

The Great Temple was beyond a sight, designed in the ancient architecture. It was just beyond the Dragon Square, but visited less than the temple in the Square because it was the holiest of holy places in the country. People felt that only huge matters should take place in the Great Temple, like the New Years' celebration, as well as the New Years' eve celebration.

Priests and priestess, also dressed in orange and gold, greeted them all. The nobles went into the temple to listen to the High Priest tell the story of how God created the world and why water was the substance of purity and rebirth. Every noble was then sprinkled with water and had prayers said over them. All of the daijinn and Miss Olga declined the baptism, believing it to be wrong to take part in such a holy ritual when they did not follow the religion. The confessions were next and those were done out in front of the Temple where everyone could see.

The confessions did take a long time, as Lucia said. Every noble wanted to be seen as trying to make amends to get people on their sides. The princes especially wanted to seem as if they were trying to begin anew and spoke for extremely long times, each going a little longer than the one before him. The confessions did not sound very much like they were asking for true forgiveness for anything. Most of the confessions went along the lines of "forgive me for not doing more for the country," or "please, forgive me for being too generous to one section of the country," and things like that.

Lucia and her children did not make public confessions. They had done their amends in private when Lucia vowed to protect them and continue to build their relationship. They had asked forgiveness for not seeking out their mother sooner. The King stepped up, standing in front of the temple doors where everyone could see him.

"Today, before you all, I would like to state that I wish to make amends for what I have done with this nation. I have been trying for years to fix this trouble and have not been able to. Now, thanks to God, I am able to do the best thing that I could possibly do for this country. Today will be my last day as your king. Tomorrow, the year will begin fresh and the country shall do the same under the leadership of my granddaughter, Ileana," Vincenzo announced and he motioned to his granddaughter with both hands.

There were gasps and murmurs as soon as the words left his mouth. Massimo, Arrigo, and Riccardo all looked shocked, mouths gaping and eyes wide. Before they could say anything, the people in the Square cheered. The folks only began to quiet down when the King held up his hand to show that he had more to say, but they would have drowned anything the princes had to say out.

"Now, as you all know, Ileana cannot wear this crown without the approval of the Council. I ask for a meeting before the day is over to discuss my decision because Ileana should be crowned tomorrow," Vincenzo requested.

The people cheered again, which was what Vincenzo wanted. The Council would at least have to hear the argument as to why Ileana should take the throne and they would be pressured into agreeing, no matter what Ileana would ask for – namely to have Xol empowered as her consort and eventually as her queen. The public support and Ileana's own elegance would assure that come tomorrow, she would be wearing his crown … or the smaller version of it since he was not sure the crown he favored would fit her head.

-8-8-8-8-

"Poppa, how could you do this? Give that crazy, disgusting foreigner the throne when you have three perfectly good sons to chose from!" Massimo barked as they all gathered in an open court part of the Gathering Hall. It was an elevated structure, but the public could gather below to hear what the Council spoke on. The Council was slowly, but surely filtering in.

"Ileana is the best suited for the job. For the past year, she has proven that beyond any reason. While you were all busy trying to tear her down, she was building everything up," Vincenzo pointed out.

"It was nothing more than little tricks, Poppa, and you have fallen for them," Arrigo huffed.

"If that is the case, you three will have your chance in five years when she does not get all the powers of the monarchy from the Council," Vincenzo countered.

Five years was like an eternity for the power hungry, Ileana knew that, and the looks on her uncles' faces solidified that fact. She turned her attention to the entering Council and also the gathering crowd ten feet below them. It was like being lost in an excited sea of yellow and orange. The movement alone was enough to hypnotize her while Xol swayed from side to side, watching the flowing cloth of everyone's garments.

"This emergency session of the Council is called to order," a Councilman announced. "The issue at hand is the ascension of Ileana Fleuizan to the Chuachin throne effective immediately." As soon as the statement was made, the whole place erupted. Most of it sounded excited, but there were objections.

"Her coronation will be tomorrow at noon," Vincenzo informed everyone, which only made more commotion.

"Highness, you cannot be serious!"

"I am very serious, but I will let Ileana do the talking after I have my say. I think that Ileana is the future of this country and she has proven it over the past year. She has a support system that is willing to help her see her dreams into reality. She has a spouse who time and time again has worked every angle imaginable to make Ileana's ideas work. Ileana has done more for this country in a year than I have done in ten. It is a shame, but it is the truth. She has cleaned up the city, started farms to help citizens earn a living, started to build a bridge between us and the daijinn, worked to fix the buildings, canals, and the roads, trying to connect the country again, and also slowly but surely started trade again. Yes, it is small, but she can only work with what she has. No one else can lay claim to these feats. Only Ileana. She must lead us into the future if we wish to remain the Chuachin we all know and love," the King declared.

"How can you entrust this ancient land to a foreigner, Poppa?" Riccardo demanded and several Councilmembers stood with him, throwing their hands up in agreement.

Vincenzo glanced at Ileana and conceded the floor to her. Ileana stepped up as expected. She made sure her beloved was no more than an inch from her.

"I am a foreigner only in culture and that can be changed, as has been the case. My mother is a Chuachinese woman through and through and her blood runs through my veins. My idealism and independence has been linked to this blood along with my desire to improve the lives of people. I have never stood back and watched suffering while thinking it is not my problem because I am not Chuachinese. You are my people. I am one of you if you will have me. I want you to have me," Ileana said.

"We can solve our own problems. We do not need you!" a Councilman huffed.

"I never said I was needed. I would like you to want me. I think that my actions have spoken for how much I want to be here. My every waking moment has involved this nation. I have involved my beloved in this and all those who follow us. Our desire has been always to improve things, showing you how much we want you to want us," Ileana countered.

"No one asked you to do anything!"

Ileana laughed. "No, but no one did anything that needed to be done. Action was necessary and I enjoy movement. It was my pleasure to do what I did and I will continue to do more if allowed. As my grandfather said, we want to connect the country again, so we need time to fully repair the roads. I wish to make more farms and communities. I want to make us the country that was viewed as the jewel of the world, connecting east and west. I want to take this country back to the glory that it once was!" she announced and there were cheers from the crowd below. The Council was more controlled, but there were dozens of murmurs and smiles.

"Anyone could do this things!"

"And yet no one has," Ileana pointed out. "I stand before you all today to tell you one simple thing, I will continue to do what it is I do. You have seen my work and that was done with restraint. Where could we go if we all just soared?" she asked with a delighted grin and a light in her eyes that sparked most of the people around her.

"Such arrogance!" Massimo hissed.

"Not at all. I can only do what I am allowed to and only with the backing of everyone. None of this is possible if it were only me. All of those projects, the people caused those to work. I did not clear a thing or lift a piece of trash. The people did that. We can all do so much more. We can soar together, people," Ileana said and the people cheered again.

"By soar you mean mix with the damned jinn? Lower ourselves to them?" Arrigo growled.

"Hey!" There was a roar from below. Ileana and everyone above looked down to see a group of almost fifty daijinn in the courtyard. She could not help smiling.

"They are members of our nation. They help make us strong. They give us an advantage that no other nation has and I will not turn my back on them when they can help us soar," Ileana called down to the crowd. The daijinn threw their hands up and cheered. She then turned her attention back to the Council. "Think what you will and say what you will, but you have to know how valuable the daijinn are to this country. They only want to be citizens with us and help this country. Why should we not allow them? Why should you stand against something to make this place better? Tell me why should I accept you standing in the way of this country's greatness?"

"No one wants to stand in the way of the country's greatness, duchess," a Councilman said as he stepped forward.

"We all have different visions, but right now, you have to ask yourself if you can see a great future with me and with all of us working together and building this nation up in a way that the world has never seen before," Ileana proclaimed.

"We will follow you." Most of the Council stepped forward to show their support.

"What? How could do that? You would give our nation to a foreigner who not only sleeps with a jinn, but considers herself married to a female daijinn?" Arrigo shouted.

Ileana actually nodded to that. "Council, you should consider that I will not accept any position if Xol is not allowed to rule by my side. I can only be myself and myself is mated to Xol," she explained with a smile as she took her lover's hand.

"And if we do not agree?"

"I will continue on with my life as will the rest of my group. This is the love of my life and you have to accept that. Without her, again, most of my ideas would have only been ideas. They never would have made it past my brain," Ileana said. "I know this is a hard thing to accept, but I will remind you that you have five years at the most to test us out. If we are not to your liking, you can remove us."

"No daijinn has ever even been considered a citizen of Chuachin. They are nonentities to us."

"For the nation to survive, this must change. We are all in this together. We must unite and live as one. They have shown us this as we have shown them. This is why they are here. They view this as their nation, too, and they will do what they need to make things better just as we all will," Ileana said.

"We will return. This must be discussed." The Council all turned to leave.

"How can this matter even be up for discussion?" Massimo bellowed, throwing his hands up. He looked ready to pull his hair out. Arrigo was apparently so incredulous that he could not even muster a compliant.

"Poppa, you cannot let this happen!" Riccardo wailed.

"It is out of my hands," Vincenzo replied.

The Council returned barely an hour later. A majority of them stood off to the right and less than forty of them stood off to the left. One man stepped forward.

"After considering all that you have to offer, duchess, it has been decided that you will ascend the throne. The ceremony will take place tomorrow for all to behold and Xol will be crowned your consort," the Councilmember explained.

The spectators below erupted into overwhelming cheers. Ileana pulled Xol to her, embracing her lover tightly. Vincenzo just smiled to himself.

-8-8-8-8-

The coronation took place in the Great Temple. Ileana and Xol were decked out in teal and indigo robes, both for the holiday and for the ceremony. The temple was packed with nobles and outside the masses had gathered for the first glimpse of their new Queen and her Consort. In the end, the couple were both wrapped in two fine golden cloaks. Crowns were placed on their heads by the High Priest; Xol's ears proved to be a bit troublesome and the Priest had to settle on cocking the diadem to the side. The royal couple then walked out of the temple and the people roared. Ileana held up her hand and everyone quieted down.

"Thank you for the warm reception. I stand before you today, now and forever, Queen Ileana Angelika Bakunarius. By my side is my beloved and Consort, Xol. We will do our best to lead this country in a bright, wonderful, glorious future. Please, embrace us and be kind to us," Ileana said.

The crowd cheered loudly, some going so far as to jumping up and down. People threw flowers to them and glitter. Ileana smiled and looked down at her beloved. Xol smiled up at her and then they turned to look at those applauding for them. There was a sea of happy faces, but the ones that stood out were the daijinn. It would seem that they would be a nation together.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: somebody proposes and there's a wedding.


	16. 15: Unity

15: Unity

The coronation went well and the rest of the night was handled wonderfully. The new royal couple wandered the city with their usual group, taking in the food and sights of the holiday. Plenty of people expressed joy and hope with Ileana as queen. They also had several requests, too, and Ileana listened to as many as she could.

"So, you're like the chief of this nation?" Rai asked Xol, trotting up behind her. He looked around at all of the decorations. His eyes sparkled with awe as his long, bushy tail swayed behind him, moving in the same direction as his eyes. Everything was orange, gold, teal, and indigo. There were lanterns, ribbons, banners, crystals, and candles dancing through out the city.

"Something like that. It's more like Ileana is the chief, but I am the chief's mate," Xol pointed out.

He nodded. "That's cool. It's basically the same thing. So, what do you do now?"

"The same thing I've been doing. Go and enjoy the festival. Tell your tribe we'd like to meet with them at the beginning of next week. Ileana wants to focus on them for a little while to repay their hard work in building the farm community."

Rai nodded again and took off to enjoy the festival. Xol stuck close to her mate and observed more than anything else, seeing games, shows, and stands almost everywhere in the city. The only time she took part was if Ileana or Viktor pulled off to do something. It was actually fun.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana and Xol found the first week of their reign to be more of what they were used to. The new Queen was surprised to find how many of the monarch's duties her grandfather had pushed onto her over the year and she had not even realized it, but much of her day had been filled with royal duties long before she became the monarch. Still, there were some things that they were not prepared for, like the fact that they requested to see the daijinn tribe and only half of the group arrived for the appointment.

"They think that you'll come to them?" Yu wondered aloud as he looked out into the group of daijinn. They were familiar with most of them as they were the ones that worked with the group. A snarl tugged at Yu's lip and his tail thrashed behind him in agitation.

Mei scoffed and her tail moved just as much as Yu's. "Don't they understand that they're your subjects? They're on your land and you're the chief. It's not a hard concept to grasp really."

"You two are biased and slightly confused. After all, you explained to me the difference between how daijinn govern and how humans typically do it," Ileana pointed out.

Mei blinked and then nodded. "They're not going to recognize you because they didn't have a say in your rise to power. But, still, they're on your land. This is some consent that you can rule them or they would have to get off your land. Nowhere have we read that daijinn were autonomous here and you never made such a promise. The boss offered them a chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves and only half of them took it. What are you going to do?"

"Let's take a walk. I think we could all use the fresh air," Ileana remarked with a smile.

"Is this walk going to take us by a certain compound?" Yu asked and Kwen grinned.

"Possibly. Come along everyone," Ileana waved her group as well the other daijinns with them.

No one objected and everyone followed Ileana out. The journey to the compound was filled with murmurs from the daijinn, trying to figure out what Ileana was planning. Xol glanced at her mate, who smiled at her.

"I will have Yu translate, all right, love?" Ileana said.

"I think he'll get your elegance across better. Besides, they will address me, anyway. They still see us as pets, so they'll show disdain and complain over us. I will speak if necessary," Xol explained.

Ileana smiled. "I have no doubt that you will."

The large group barely set foot on the compound grounds before the rest of the tribe was out and watching them. Ileana and Xol stood at the front, staring into the tribe. Most of the tribe focused on Xol, who was dressed in robes to show her royal status as the Queen's Consort. It was definitely a step up from her old clothing, but also a noticeable acceptance of human culture.

" _The pet is back!_ " Qin laughed, staring mockingly down at Xol.

"We're not here for you to mock our chief," Yu growled. His tail thrashed behind him and he bared his teeth for a quick second.

"No? Then why are you here, pet?" Qin asked.

"We want to speak to your leaders," Ileana announced.

"Well, our chief and elders do not wish to speak with you or any of the traitors that you bring with you," Qin informed her.

"They are not traitors. They only wish for better lives and I like to think that they are on their way. Now, I would like to talk with the people in charge. I am requesting now, but I will not if I have to ask again," Ileana stated.

"Wouldn't that make this request a demand?" Mei jokingly whispered.

"You have no right –" Qin said, but Ileana cut him off.

"I have every right. I am Queen of all of Chuachin and this is my land. Now, your leaders or this is going to become a problem," Ileana proclaimed.

Yu smirked. "I'd go now before she really gets upset," he told Qin, who looked flabbergasted.

Briefly, he looked at Ileana, as if needing to judge how serious she was. He then marched off into the crowd of daijinn and returned to the front with four people. The four were older members of the tribe. They stood before Ileana with hatred in their eyes and defiance in their stance. Then, they noticed Xol and whatever was there before was multiplied infinite times.

" _What do you want with us, dog?_ " the chief demanded with his hard, onyx gaze on Xol. He was marked the man in charge by the beaded band around his hand with images of the sun and moon around it.

" _Show some respect! Xol is not only our chief, but the mate of the monarch that owns this country!_ " Yu barked. His tail thrashed again.

"This did not start off properly, did it?" Ileana asked her mate.

"No, they addressed me as 'dog.' I do not think I have ever had another daijinn call me a dog before," Xol commented.

Ileana frowned. "Tell them I did not come here to fight, but I will not stand for disrespect toward my Consort."

Yu quickly translated. The four daijinn grunted and looked offended. They glared at Ileana and then back at Xol before the chief started speaking again.

" _You come here with an army and claim you're not here for a fight. You've split our tribe in half, taken our younger people when we already have so few of them. You are nothing more than a liar and a deceiver, you and your dog!_ " the chief declared and then dared to spit at Xol's feet. A sneer curled on his lip, showing his slightly pointed teeth.

Ileana gasped at the act and barely waited for Yu to translate what he said before she began her retort. "I have taken nothing. My mate and I have given your people things that you could not dream of, but if you think that you are so much better than us, I will show you taking. I have no desire to split your tribe up, but your attitude is making the idea more and more appealing. All I wanted was to come here and offer your people better accommodations – a village, clean, running water, and a road to the city to make trading and business easier. But, if you want none of that, I will not force you. Just know that when these people leave, all of those celebrations you all enjoy will leave with them. There will be no more bread, eggs, lamb, wool pillows, and whatever other items you benefit from thanks to their generosity." Ileana paused just to give Yu a chance to translate.

" _We don't need human bullshit!_ " the chief declared. Now, his thin tail moved irritably behind him. " _Our youngsters would never leave us for such small things!_ "

As Yu translated, Ileana chuckled and smirked at the chief. "Over confident a little, eh? You think they will come back to you and forsake all that they have gained by joining in the nation? They are citizens of Chuachin just as much as they are members of your tribe and they know that. They are all healthier than they have ever been in their lives, sleeping better, and enjoying free time. Six of them are carrying children for the first time after trying for years and four of them have given birth in the past couple of months and they know its because their diets have improved and the stress in their lives has lessened. Can you offer them that? They have said that most little ones born to the tribe are sickly and under weight, but most do not even make it to that stage. One in five of them die within their first months if they are lucky enough to be born. Most do not live to their first year and the rest are lucky to live to five."

" _They will come back after they see you only plan to enslave them and turn them into pets are you have done with this one and that one!_ " the chief first nodded to Yu and then pointed at Xol.

"They seem thoroughly offended by you, my love," Ileana noted.

"Perhaps we should ask about that," Yu commented.

"I have no desire to know why they find my beloved such a bother. Tell that them that I have no desire to enslave anyone. I am practically married to a daijinn and Xol is far from my slave. You three are far from my slaves and I am your chief's mate," Ileana remarked.

" _No daijinn can be mated to a human and even if it were possible, you would not fathom what it means to be someone's mate! Humans do not understand the connection and emotions that mates carry for each other. You go through your marriage ceremony and all you want out of it is physical rewards, children, money, and whatever else you might get_ ," the chief countered.

" _Don't pretend to know our emotions, sir! You may voice your thoughts all you want for your tribe, but my relationship is my business_ ," Xol growled, bearing her teeth.

" _Your relationship? You are a pet! You mock the goddess in name and pretend to bear her mark with your tattoos and then dare to declare a human of all things your mate. You are a disgrace and deserve nothing less than to be banished from all tribes!_ " the chief bellowed. Yu could see that Xol was now engaged, so he stepped back in order to translate for Ileana personally.

" _Again, you pretend to know me, but you know nothing. I don't mock the goddess. My tribe gave me the name Xol and I bear it with honor_ ," Xol replied, holding her head high. " _You don't know anything of my life, yet you condemn me. I've done nothing to you, except try to bring your people together those you share a nation with. To repay me, you call me out of my name and belittle my mate and her effort. We're here to give you rights that no one other daijinn on the planet can claim. You'd be members of a nation. Something much larger than a tribe, more powerful than a tribe. You'd hold something that even the Moon could not take away in his infinite wisdom. This country would be yours as much as it would be any humans_."

" _Only a fool would trust a human_ ," the chief replied.

" _Only a fool would condemn what he doesn't know!_ " Mei shouted. Her ears shifted forward and she snarled at the chief.

"Mei, quiet. This is not your fight," Ileana said.

"It is my fight! He's insulting not only the very people I trust with my life and the people that I believe in, but the gods that I have put my faith in!" Mei huffed and then glared at the chief. " _Xol might not tell you, but I will! She is the chosen one of the Goddess! She bears the true marks of the Goddess and her mate holds the mark of the Moon. They are true mates and you are only showing what a fool you are to dare think otherwise and to call the Goddess' chosen a dog! They come here in charity and you dared to spit at her! You are lucky that the Goddess is patient or she would make you feel her wrath!_ "

" _Mei, you have actually made my point. I am patient and have no need to fight these people_ ," Xol stated and then regarded the chief with a lazy gaze. " _Be as stubborn as you like. My mate has a vision and it is my duty to make it happen. All she wishes to do is build you a proper village. She will do so for the people that come to us. We will no longer come to you. I understand you didn't choose us to be your leaders, but those behind us have chosen. They'd rather trust us and so far it has been the wiser decision. So, everyone will have a week to sign up for citizenship and those that sign will be citizens of the nation and reap those rewards, starting with a proper village just to the west of here. Those that do not will continue to decay in this compost heap_ ," Xol informed them. "Precious mate, do you wish to add anything?" she asked once Yu translated everything.

Ileana shook her head. "That sounds like everything. Tell them that they will sign up with Yu or with Mei. Come, we have other issues to address."

Ileana turned to leave and heard a growl behind her. She did not pay any mind. Xol growled back, almost daring someone to do something. There was movement, but no one took her up on the offer. They watched her as if they did not know what to make of her and they were not sure how to approach her because of that. Yu, Mei, and Kwen could not help smirking as they watched the couple walk away as if nothing could touch them, almost as if they were divine.

The couple returned to the palace and went to work. Miss Olga had several things waiting for them and ran through them. She then threw them off with an item in the middle of the list.

"Your wedding is scheduled for next month," Miss Olga said in a mundane tone as she reported everything else.

"Whoa, wedding?" Ileana asked, turning to the older woman.

"Yes, your wedding is scheduled for next month and you have to start preparing," Miss Olga explained.

"Beloved, is this your way of proposing?" Ileana inquired curiously, giving her lover a sidelong glance.

"Unfortunately, no," Xol replied with a preplexed expression.

"So, who is organizing our wedding?" the Queen wondered aloud.

"Me," Lucia commented as she walked up behind the trio. "If it were up to you, you would work through it all. Someone has to make sure you get married while you have the chance and the momentum."

Ileana nodded, unable to argue that bit. "But, I would like for our marriage to be our decision. So …" Ileana turned to her lover. "Beloved, I am drawn to you in ways I could never describe and I feel things for you in ways that sometimes I cannot even fathom, but I enjoy it all. I love you so much that there will never be enough time to explain it all. We are already connected and we already know how deep our bond is, but I would like to declare to the world just how much I love you and how much I am committed to you. Will you marry me?"

Xol blinked and then stared at her mate in pure wonder. "Uh … I always imagined I would be the one doing this …"

Ileana smiled. "Well, I beat you to it. So, what is your answer, love?"

"Of course, I'll marry you. Does it have to be in public, though?" Golden eyes squinted a little, as if pleading for it to be a private affair.

"Of course not. We can have a private ceremony. It can be small, too," Ileana assured her lover, taking her hand. She squeezed the pale hand.

Xol smiled now, too. So, apparently, they were to be married. Now, they would be seen as a couple by both human and daijinn. She could only imagine how people would look at them now. Not that she cared since she would be bonded to her mate in the highest human way possible along with the highest daijinn form.

"Well, we will have to discuss wedding plans now," Lucia grinned. She was almost giddy and actually grabbed Miss Olga to drag her off.

"I think we just made my mother extremely happy," Ileana chuckled.

"Well, aren't you happy, too?" Xol pointed out.

"My love, I have had dreams of our wedding and marriage for years now. I will enjoy swearing before anyone and all that I love you forever and always. I want the world to know that you and I are meant to be together and we will be together. Nothing will change that," Ileana proclaimed.

"I agree. Too bad I can't put it as nicely. I just know you're my perfect match," Xol replied.

"That is more than nice enough. Now, let us get some work done and then we can try to have some input into our own wedding," Ileana and Xol laughed together.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana was hunched over her desk, head buried in paperwork. Xol sat at her own desk feet away with Yu and Mei reporting to her about the daijinn compound. She listened, never interrupting them. Ileana knew that she was getting a glimpse of what her beloved was like when she was the chief of a whole tribe.

"So, most of the tribe actually signed on for citizenship and to move into the village. They also agreed to help with construction," Yu stated.

"Did you explain to them what being a citizen means? I don't want them causing a fuss when someone comes around to collect taxes from them and everything," Xol pointed out.

"We explained everything and answered as many questions as we could. It was a little hard for us since we're new to the human system of governing, too. But, we put it in terms that they could understand – the taxes are to help the whole nation, just as the members of a tribe would share food and other essentials together, the nation needs people to share, too," Mei replied.

"And they understand the benefits of being a citizen?" Xol asked.

"I think they understood that long ago. You should've heard them. So many were already making plans. They want this, as you said," Yu answered.

"And the government? How much of that do they understand?" she inquired. She doubted it was much since she and her tribe were still learning and they had been involved in politics for almost a year now. She was certain that her mate was still trying to learn all of the ins and outs.

"Not much. They have decided that they will follow you as their chief and Ileana is your mate, so she is the chief, too. I'm not sure what they will do in the next generation, but hopefully they'll adapt," Yu replied.

"By then they should have more say. I will be adding them into the Council," Ileana informed them.

"Really?" Yu actually seemed surprised by that.

"If they are to be true members of this nation, they need representatives just like everyone else. So, I will let each village as they grow elect a Councilmember. I think we should go out and see how many daijinn tribes we have and how many towns need repair. So far, we have only seen what is around the city. We need to see what is around the country," Ileana said.

"For that, we have to get the roads repaired," Xol pointed out. "It would take us months to see the whole country if the roads aren't fixed."

"We shall start on that right away. I would like to start touring after the wedding," Ileana said.

"Whoa, what wedding?" Mei inquired with a grin, looking back and forth between the rulers.

"We are to be married. My mother is planning the whole thing as we speak," Ileana answered with a sigh. Her mother was taking it much more seriously than she anticipated and part of her feared that it would not be a small ceremony as she and Xol desired.

"And when were you gonna tell us?" Mei cried in mock outrage, throwing a hand to her chest.

"What does it matter to you, anyway? As far as you are concerned, we are already married," Ileana reasoned with a teasing smirk.

"That's not the point! You should've told us!" Mei laughed.

Ileana rolled her eyes and went back to work. Xol did the same, pondering aloud what they could do about the roads. Workers were not a problem anymore, but materials were and engineers were. Ileana glanced up and waved her lover off.

"I have those things worked out. I will go over it with you all in a moment, as soon as I finish this," Ileana said.

"The boss is on top if things, huh, chief?" Yu remarked with a smile.

Xol shrugged and smiled, too. Ileana joined them moments later and they began to hash out the problems with the roads. When they worked that out, they just moved onto the next item.

-8-8-8-8-

The impulsive wedding actually turned out to be a very good idea. People came from all over, not believing that the recently crowned Queen of Chuachin was about marry a female daijinn. They heard rumors that the daijinn was also her Consort, but they could not believe that either. Princes that Ileana's father once tried to give her to even made the trip, wanting to see things with their own eyes.

"I almost wish that we could do this once a year to get so many people into the city," Ileana muttered as her mother oversaw the final touches to her hair. Once her hair was done, she would have to don her wedding robes and jewelry.

"Well, there is always your anniversary," Lucia commented with a smile. "It could become a festival, celebrating not only your union, but our unity as a country."

Ileana grinned. "Brilliant. I would like that." She was quite giddy over the sheer idea of celebrating a marriage anniversary.

"Yes, it would be a good cause and all. You and Xol joining is like the people of our country joining together. I hope this is the beginning of a very bright new future. It feels like it will lead to good things."

"I am glad you feel that way, Mother. Now, could you do me a favor and check on Xol? Miss Olga has probably succeeded in making her a nervous wreck by now."

Lucia chuckled and nodded. Xol was only across the hall, looking as nervous as Ileana predicted. To Miss Olga's credit, it looked like she was actually trying to calm the smaller female down while fixing the collar of her teal robes with golden trim. For once, Xol's onyx and crimson mane was under control and decorated with pearls, garnets, and other precious stones. Her ears had even been pierced again, which she had not been happy about. The first time her ears were pierced, she had been given leadership of her tribe and it had taken a while to get used to it. But, those were studs and now she had loops and they were much worse as they felt like they were weighing down her ears.

"How is she?" Lucia asked Miss Olga, nodding toward the anxious bride.

"Still bothering with her ears," Miss Olga sighed.

"It feels weird," Xol complained as her ear rotated. Her tail was behind her, swaying angrily.

"Boss, it's traditional. You had to have your ears pierced," Mei reminded her, trying to use that to keep Xol from accidentally tearing the golden loops out.

"Who celebrates a union by mutilating themselves?" Xol huffed.

"Just be happy you and the taller boss already had the tattoos. I doubt you'd want to sit through someone actually putting your goddess marks on," Mei pointed out.

"Are you sure all they need are the earrings for the daijinn tradition?" Lucia inquired to be certain.

"And they need a daijinn chief or elder to bless the union. We have that covered. It would've been great for Fry to do it, but she didn't know the tradition, so we had to dig one out of the Xokoatl tribe. But, other than that we don't have any real traditions. They're going to have to show their marks to everyone as proof of their mating," Mei replied.

"Ileana knows that, right?" Lucia asked to be sure.

"Yes, she should have her gown tied where if she loosens it, we'll see the top of her shoulders and that's enough. We don't even know how much of her back is covered in the marks, which is how it should be," Mei said quickly when she noticed Xol glaring at her.

"You and Yu look at the floor at that time," Xol commanded.

"What? We don't ogle your mate, boss! We would never do that!" Mei laughed.

Lucia arched an eyebrow. "Do daijinn have no gender preferences as far as sexual partners go?"

"Usually, daijinn get attracted to qualities more so than gender. There might be physical qualities that they like, but it's not usually about being male or female. Something that you southerners can relate to, huh?" Mei asked.

Lucia nodded. "Something like that. So, are we ready?"

"This is the best we can do with her unless you have tranquilizers," Miss Olga remarked as she patted Xol on the shoulder. The smaller female was stiff as a board. "We will not have to worry about her falling over at least."

Lucia chuckled. "Better still, in our tradition, the married couple kneel at the alter for the whole ceremony. So, she should be fine."

"We might have to kneecap her to get to kneel," Miss Olga muttered.

"How's … how's Ileana?" Xol asked in a low voice.

"Ready, willing, and eager. She is determined to do this today, so do not faint on her," Lucia teased with a smile.

Xol took a deep breath and nodded, even though she felt like she might faint. Staring into her golden eyes, everyone wondered briefly if Xol was nervous about just doing something so public, even though it was not quite as public as other weddings, or if the symbolism beyond the marriage was the thing that got to her. They knew it was probably the latter and they were right.

"How many people are going to see this?" Xol asked.

"About two hundred," Lucia answered.

Xol gulped. "Hundred?"

"I thought it would be a good idea for most of the daijinn tribe to come. Other tribes actually sent people to witness this. Many people do not seem to believe its true. But, the daijinn tribe and the nobles who supported you as well as the friends you both made in the city. I thought it would be nice for people to see that you both are friends of the common citizen," Lucia explained.

Xol nodded and watched as Lucia rushed out of the room. The short female had to take another deep breath. Miss Olga turned her attention back to Xol and smoothed out each piece of clothing that she was wearing while Mei made sure everything was as tight as it was supposed to be.

"I cannot believe this is actually happening," Miss Olga sighed and shook her head.

"I know you don't approve, but I promise that I'll take the best of care of Ileana," Xol vowed.

Miss Olga chuckled. "I do not doubt that, Xol. I doubt there is a person alive or that will ever live that could feel what you feel for her highness. I wish there were a prince or a king out there that could feel a fraction of what you feel for her, but I know it can never be. I accept that and I am happy that she has you. I know you would never purposely hurt her, you would do everything to protect her, and you would support every crazy idea that she has. I accept that."

Xol smiled a little. "You'll never say that aloud again, will you?"

"I never said it at all," Miss Olga remarked. "Now, let us get you out there and get you both married. Hopefully, none of the objections will include deadly weapons."

Mei and Xol laughed, even though they knew that she was serious and they held similar wishes. Mei and Miss Olga walked Xol out into the Dragon Hall; the room set aside for grand celebrations thrown by the royal family. It was decorated in the royal colors, matching the royal couple. Apparently, it was a Chuachin tradition for important couples to be married in that hall. They came into the front of the hall, so Xol only got a chance to glance at the crowd instead of walking through it and understanding just how many people were there.

"Consort, you have to kneel here," a priest instructed as he motioned to the golden cushion in front of him. He was standing in front of an altar as well as a shrine to former rulers of the country.

The nervous female nodded and did as she was told. It seemed like as soon as she was down, Ileana entered the hall to a hum of string instruments. Xol looked up at her lover and swore that her heart stopped when she laid eyes on the beauty that was her mate. Ileana's hair was decorated with gems and gold and done in long, drop curls. She was wearing a thinner version of the crown, which helped call attention to the pair of gold loops in her newly pierced ears. Her robes of gold and teal hugged her just right, only hinting to her body underneath.

"Your majesty, please, kneel here," the priest requested, motioning to the cushion by Xol.

Ileana did as she was asked and smiled at her lover as soon as she was next to her. Before the ceremony got underway, a daijinn elder came to the front, so that daijinn traditions were included. She noticed the way that Xol's ears continued to flicker and knew the younger daijinn was bothered by the earrings.

"Settle down. You will have to leave at least one of those in, after all," the elder reminded Xol with a teasing smile.

Xol grunted; finding out that daijinn wore earrings instead of wedding rings was the bane of her existence for the moment. Briefly, she was not sure that she would be able to survive wearing at least one loop earring for the rest of her life, but then she looked into the warm, light brown eyes of her mate. She was certain that she could and would endure a million earrings if necessary.

The ceremony was short; both Ileana and Xol were surprised by how quickly it went by. The priest simply announced that everyone was there to witness the blessed union of two people in love. He sprinkled them with water and when they did not burst into flames, announced that the God blessed them and their future now that they were bound together for all eternity. Apparently, the Chuachin were serious about marriage; or so they thought until they found out that divorce was rampant in the country.

The daijinn elder then spoke in the daijinn language, so Ileana did not understand. She had been briefed on what the elder was saying, though, and it was almost the same thing as the priest. Instead of sprinkling water, the elder painted symbols of the sun and moon on their foreheads.

"You must now make your promises to each other before God," the priest said.

"Gods," the elder added.

Ileana took a deep breath as she turned to Xol. She could not help smiling when she looked in those gorgeous golden eyes. She almost forgot that she needed to make three pledges to her beloved; three was the custom of their adopted nation, but daijinn typically made at least one vow to the gods.

"My dearest love, I promise before heaven and earth that I will stand with you through everything that comes our way in this life. I will carry you through all of your pain and share all of your joy. I will do my best to give you everything you deserve in this life," Ileana pledged, trying her best to hold back tears. She was unable to do so and tears slid down her face; thankfully, she was not wearing any makeup.

Xol's jaw trembled as she tried to speak. Words failed her and her mind could not come up with what she was supposed to say. Her hands shook and Ileana took them to settle her.

"I vow to the Sun, Moon, and all of the stars in heaven that I will always and forever be there for you. I will have your back, your front, and whatever else you need at all times. I will never let you down," Xol stated in low, heavy tone.

"You may exchange rings to show your endless commitment to each other," the priest said.

The couple did as the priest said and slid their gold wedding bands on their left hands. They were about to go in for a kiss, but the elder stopped them. There was one more part of the ceremony.

"To show their bond, the couple must display their matching marks of the gods," the elder announced.

"Matching?" Ileana echoed. While she could not see her marks, she was pretty certain that hers did not match her beloved's.

"It's fine," Xol assured her.

They loosened their sashes slightly. They both dropped their robes just below their shoulders. The elder gently swept their hair from their shoulders to display their marks. It was clear that the thick black bands on Ileana's back occupied her whole back while Xol's marks crept up the back of her neck and now were invading her left side. The elder's face scrunched up a little as it looked like the marks on both women grew a little. She then fixed their robes for them.

"You may now kiss to show the start of your happy union," the priest announced.

"Kiss?" Xol squeaked, finding out a little too late that there would be a public display of affection. She did not have time to be nervous, though, because Ileana was kissing her less than a second after they got permission. The crowd cheered.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the reception and then business as usual.


	17. 16: Honeymoon period

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mature scene in the second section of the chapter. If you don't like it, skip to the third scene.

16: Honeymoon period

The banquet Lucia had prepared for after the wedding of Ileana and Xol was a jubilant affair where the couple was presented with gifts from all of their guests as well as representatives from all over the world. Xol looked out into the sea of people, watching Yu and Mei work the room in ways that they had learned from Ileana. Viktor was doing the same with Kwen close by him. Miss Olga was trying to decide on who would see the Queen and her Consort first to congratulate the couple as well as have a few minutes of the royal couple's ear. She ended up allowing a few street vendors – friends of the couple – to go first.

"This is amazing. I never in my life thought I would be invited to a party at the palace. And the palace is breathtaking," one of the vendors commented.

Ileana and Xol smiled and engaged the group in small talk while eating. They accepted personal gifts from their friends, putting the presents with the others. When the vendors time was up, a few nobles were next. A group of daijinn came after them, one of them was Rai and he was holding a small, tawny puma cub.

"We thought it would be best to give you a guardian. Yu told us that you'll probably need as much protection as possible," Rai explained as he handed the kitten over to Xol.

"Thank you, but I can protect my mate," Xol replied, cradling the tiny cat.

"Still, too much is never enough in this case. Besides, we're entering a new era. Perhaps these times need a guardian," a male daijinn explained.

Xol nodded, unable to argue that one. They spoke for a while on the future of the daijinn village that was being built before the daijinn went to enjoy the festivities. Soon, Xol stopped paying attention to whom was sitting before them because they turned into people she did not know or did not interest her. At one point, she checked back into the conversation when she figured out the gentleman sitting before them was once a suitor for Ileana.

"I suppose I never had a chance," the prince remarked with a friendly smile.

Ileana shook her head. "No, I have been spoken for since I was five years old. But, that does not mean we cannot be friends."

"No, it does not. I have always enjoyed your company, Ileana. Unlike most, I enjoy your quirks. So, what does your wonderfully located country have to offer me?" he asked, continuing to smile.

It was at that point that Xol checked out again as they were discussing trade. Ileana could handle that on her own. She would only come back in if her skills in negotiating could be put to use. It happened several times throughout the night and before the evening was over, Chuachin found itself with several trade partners.

Halfway through the night, Ileana and Xol found themselves sharing their table with Vincenzo and his sons. Ileana's uncles had been sticking close to their father for whatever reason, as if they still needed his favor for their ambitions. Ileana thought that perhaps an endorsement from the former monarch still counted for something from the Council.

"Imagining what it will like if you could have a baby," Riccardo sneered in Xol's direction, nodding toward the cougar cub that she was still cuddling.

"You would dare sit at my table and insult my wife the first moment possible?" Ileana asked incredulously.

"Your table?" Massimo growled.

"Yes, my table. I am now the Queen, like it or not. I will not sit here and let you insult my Consort either. Be civil or leave," Ileana commanded.

Vincenzo chuckled. "It was a fine ceremony that Lucia put together and in such a short period of time. I think that she has imagined this event a million times over in her mind since giving birth to you."

Ileana smiled. "I can hardly find the words to thank her. This was beyond wonderful."

"I cannot believe you actually condone this, Poppa," Arrigo huffed, turning his nose up at the whole affair.

"How can I not? Between seeing how in love these two are and watching what they are doing for the country is amazing. I mean, how many princes have agreed to use our ports and start trading with us?" Vincenzo asked Ileana.

"About a dozen. We have to start producing quickly. It is a good thing that we have the daijinn with us because all of the princes wanted to import the spicy cider. The daijinn refuse to give up the secret on how its made, but I think they will be happy to use it to their advantage," Ileana reported with a grin.

"The spicy cider? Is that the drink they have been serving lukewarm?" the former king asked curiously.

"Yes, it is and it is delicious. Beyond that, the fur, of course. There have been questions on leather, which we should be able to provide. I think I have some of them interested in the pottery. We just have to keep building and working from there," Ileana replied.

Vincenzo nodded and they chatted for a little while longer. Xol did little more than watch Ileana's uncles, still feeling traitorous vibes radiating from them. Soon, they were gone, but Xol watched them until they were totally out of sight. More people sat with them and Xol turned her attention to them briefly.

-8-8-8-8-

When it came time to retire for the evening, the first thing that Xol did was strip out of her clothing. It felt like it would never end as she undid her sash, then the wider ties and shrugged out of the outer robe. She was about to pull off the shirt when Ileana's hands on hers halted her progress. Golden eyes looked upward and got lost in loving brown eyes.

"Let me, love," Ileana whispered.

"Huh?" Xol said for lack of a better thing.

"It is our wedding night, beloved. Let me undress you and we can take it slow from there. We should go slow," Ileana replied, still speaking in a low voice.

Xol, seemingly hypnotized by her lover's tone, only nodded. Ileana placed light pecks to the shorter female's waiting lips as she eased Xol's shirt off of her. Her hands moved to the ties for the dress while keeping her lips on her beloved's mouth. The pants dropped and Xol moaned.

"Can I … can I undress you?" Xol asked quietly.

Ileana smiled. "Of course, iris. You can do whatever you like to me."

Xol purred and her hands made short work of Ileana's robes. The Queen would not be surprised to find tears later on. She did not care at the moment.

"Touch me," Ileana begged as her breath was already coming in hot, short pants.

"Only if you touch me, too," Xol replied.

"Always."

Their hands were everywhere, especially when Ileana was bare. Kissing and caressing, Ileana's legs buckled and she fell against her lover. It was then that they both remembered they had a bed. They wasted no time falling into it, making sure there was barely a breath of space between their bodies.

"You smell so good," Xol sighed, kissing Ileana's neck.

Ileana whimpered and clutched Xol's muscular back as the smaller female ran her tongue along Ileana's neck. The Queen panted as her lover lapped at her throat and she pulled Xol closer to her. Suddenly, the licks turned to kisses and Ileana moaned.

"You taste so good, too," Xol muttered into her wife's neck.

"Taste me, love. Taste all of me," Ileana gasped.

"I will," Xol vowed as she made her way lower.

The kisses continued as she made her way to Ileana's collarbones and then the valley of her breasts. Ileana mewed and hissed when Xol's lips attached to a chocolate peak. Her hand played with the neglected mound, kneading willing flesh. She doubted that she would ever get enough, but she tried anyway. Her lips and tongue worked on the gem in her mouth while her hand worshipped the other treasure.

"Yes, just like that," Ileana groaned as she clutched her mate's shoulders tightly, trying to get her closer.

"Only that?" Xol asked with an arched eyebrow. She spoke around the pearl in her mouth, refusing to release it.

"Of course not. You promised to taste all of me."

"So I did."

Still, her lips did not seem to want to move from Ileana breasts. Frustrated whimpers and clawing at her back were the only thing to get her to continue on, kissing her way down Ileana's torso. Her hands remained with bouncing breasts while her tongue slid down her lover. Ileana bucked when the tip of Xol's tongue came into contact with the center of her being.

"Please, love," Ileana implored in a breath. "No playing tonight. Please."

Xol smirked, but did as her love begged. She dived tongue first into Ileana. The sudden onslaught caused Ileana's hips to shoot off the bed, seeking out more of her wife's talented tongue. They wasted no time working up hard and heavy rhythm. Ileana panted and moaned while Xol purred as she drank in the love of her life.

"Oh, gods …" Ileana moaned, her hands gripping her wife's shoulders, trying to pull Xol eternally closer. "Oh, gods!" She clawed at Xol's back and almost smothered the smaller woman as she crested.

Xol blinked in shock. "So fast?" she almost sounded disappointed.

Ileana would have laughed if she were not so overwhelmed. "We have all night, love. I am actually glad to have gotten that out of the way. I have been feeling that tension wrap around my stomach since this morning."

"Really?" Xol moved and rested her chin on her wife's thigh.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to be married to you. The thought of it being possible wrapped me in knots and as I was close to bursting when I donned my wedding garments. My body sparked when you put the ring on my finger," Ileana explained, running her fingers through her beloved's hair. Her eyes drifted to her wedding ring.

Xol smiled. "I can relate to that."

"Good. Now, it is your turn to be ravaged and we shall see how long you last."

Xol chuckled and rolled over for the Queen. Ileana attacked with everything that she had, sucking at her lover's neck with enough force to leave a mark. Xol merely tilted her head to give Ileana better access and purred with each loving nip and affectionate lap. The purrs turned to throaty moans as Ileana's mouth settled with Xol's small breasts and decided to never leave.

Ileana's hands were busy exploring her wife's solid, yet soft form. There was no part of Xol that lacked muscle, but she was not particularly hard and it was a delight for Ileana to touch everywhere. She often marveled over her love's compact form and massaged Xol's abdomen, sides, thighs, and buttocks, earning loud groans. But, when she arrived at her favorite place, she hissed as she felt the affect that she was having on Xol.

"You are melting, my dearest rose," Ileana teased in a whisper before kissing her wife's creamy throat.

"Because of you, for you, all for you," Xol promised.

"Wonderful."

Xol opened her mouth to say something, but her words turned into a loud, long moan as Ileana sank into her spouse. The purrs returned as Ileana's pace was slow and gentle. Her mouth continued peppering pale flesh with sweet, soft kisses. Xol's hips rolled to meet her lover's fingers and her eyes drifted shut. Just as she was about to give herself over to the pleasure, Ileana's thumb grazed her pleasure center and it was like pressing a "climax button." She gasped as her body clamped down on Ileana's fingers, trying to draw her in deeper.

"So fast?" Ileana teased with a smirk.

Xol could not respond, too busy trying to get her brain to comprehend more than the bliss that had just been given to her. Ileana decided against giving her much time to get herself together, beginning to move her finger again as soon as Xol's breathing settled. The kisses began again as did the purrs. Xol understood what Ileana meant by having all night now.

-8-8-8-8-

The next day, it was business as usual for the royal couple. They would have liked to stay in bed for a few days and enjoy each other, but there was much to do. There were still many people around the city, so Ileana set up more meetings with any princes still around, wanting to get as many trade agreements and allies as she could up with. She also met with representatives from the villages and towns of Chuachin, wanting to get up to speed with them and wanting to get them on the same page as the capital.

Xol was out in the streets and surprised to find the city continuing to celebrate her marriage to Ileana. She guessed people were so accepting because of what they had done for the city and country so far. She hoped that they remained that way as she and Ileana did their best to make the country as great as it once was, if not better.

She checked on some of the buildings that they were restoring. There were people working despite the festivities, which was what they were supposed to be doing. The buildings needed repair. They were still paying people in food, but they would soon have enough capital to pay in coin, especially if Ileana got all of those trade agreements that she was trying to make.

Once she was satisfied with the construction and restoration, she made her way out of the city. She strolled the few miles on the road that was being torn up and redone to the daijinn village, which was under construction. There was work happening there, too.

Xol scanned the area, just taking it in. Everyone was moving at a fast pace, wanting the village up as soon as possible to show that they wanted to be a part of the nation. She knew that there were other tribes scattered through out the country and she would have to sell the idea to them. She felt like it would be easier now that she had one tribe to back her and sing the praises of being a part of the country. Besides, the tribes should have some idea of what was happening since many had sent representatives to witness the royal wedding. She honestly could not wait.

"Chief, is there a reason for the visit? We have just been trying clear away as much of the debris as we could," one of the daijinn reported.

Xol smiled at the title. "I just want to make sure everything's coming along smoothly."

The daijinn nodded. "It's fine. We've got this. You should be enjoying your mate. You know the gods always say that a union should be celebrated for at least three days and nights to make sure it'll last."

And now she laughed. "Don't worry, we celebrated a long time ago. This was just for the rest of the world. How's everything going?"

"It's fine. We're trying to get ahead of schedule. Everyone's anxious and eager to live in the village."

"That's good. We have a lot of things to settle about the place, but I can't wait for it to get done," Xol informed him with a grin.

"Oh? What else is to be done?"

"Well, the village has to have everything your tribal home would have. But, there will be other things. We'll set aside some farming land for you. Someone might want to raise livestock. There might be a schoolhouse and stores and inns in case there are visitors. There's a lot you could do in a village," Xol explained.

"Will we need all of that?"

"That's what we need to discuss. That and more, so make sure you guys have it worked out whose meeting with us."

He nodded. "We have that all worked out. We want to be on pace with you."

She smiled. "No need to rush, but it is good that you have everything worked out. This is so exciting. Daijinn with a country and a permanent place to live. I don't think I've ever heard of anything like this, even in stories."

"I know what you mean. I always thought we were lucky that none of the humans here ever came to drive us away because as much as the elders and Qin barked about it, we all knew we didn't have any right to that land."

"Well, you do have a right to this plot. This is your village for you to stay."

His face light up at that, even though he was aware of that the land was there for the daijinn now. Xol stood for a little while longer and then decided that everything was going fine. She started walking back to the city, taking in the work on the road while she was at it. Kwen was in charge of the project along with one of the few competent engineers that Ileana could find in the capital city; the Queen had been surprised at how few educated professionals there were in the country.

"How is this coming along?" Xol asked as she came across the two in charge.

"We have to tear the whole damn thing up," Kwen groaned.

"The whole thing?" Xol echoed.

The engineer sighed and shook his head. "The curbstones, the stones that line the road, have way too many missing. The ditches to catch the water were filled with dirt and debris. And, as you can see with the stones that actually make up the road are missing. It'll be fine, though. We have plenty of workers and stones are coming in to get everything situated. There are plenty of great quarries close by. No one's used them in a while, but we've got in under control now. We'll have this road and all of the other roads in the country fixed in no time."

Xol smiled at that and nodded for them to carry on as she made her way back to the city and the palace. She was not surprised to find her wife still in meetings, even though she had been gone for some hours. She silently sat down next to the Queen, who did not miss a beat in the conference. She threw her arms around Xol as soon as the room was empty, hugging her close.

"How are things on the outside?" Ileana asked with a laugh.

"Decent. Everything's going fine. We just have to make sure we have the food to pay everyone," Xol answered. "Although I think the daijinn working in their village see that as payment enough."

Ileana shook her head. "No, I still will have to offer them something. This is so wonderful, beloved. Every meeting I have had today, everyone wants something to do with us again. I met with some of the daijinn and found out things that they had items to trade with other countries and it is all happening so quickly. We need to do so much."

"Calm down, my precious mate. Take everything as slowly as you have. If you get ahead of us, it'll only hurt us in the future."

Ileana smiled and gave her wife a peck on the lips. "You are right. I just want everything to get better immediately now while we have the momentum. I am so nervous that once the princes leave here and are no longer caught up in our celebration that they will regret all of these agreements we have."

"They cannot go back on their word or they would lose credibility world wide. I don't think anyone wants that," Xol pointed out. She had learned that fact that from her spouse in the first place.

Ileana smiled. "You are right about that."

"We'll be fine, dearest mate. Everything's working out as it should and we have so much more to do. We just have to take it slow and steady without panicking. I was thinking of something that we could get started to help and probably step away from, so the country will continue growing."

Ileana pulled back a little to look into her lover's eyes. "What have you been thinking about?"

"It only just came to me while I was at the daijinn village. I was telling one of them about all of the things the village could have. We need to start getting people into businesses and education. I mean, how many engineers did you find when you wanted to fix the road?"

"A handful. I think there were six," Ileana sighed as she thought about it. "And half of those were incompetent. The other two did not seem to acknowledge me as Queen. Thank God for Antonio. He was all too happy to help."

"He knows it'll get him a good position in the country, but we need more engineers. We're gonna need people to build bridges and figure out how to get water to some places."

Ileana nodded. "It has crossed my mind. I will handle that and the business idea. We need so many things. I want to take a census just to get an idea of how many people are in the country, but I need to appoint more officials for that and communications with everywhere else in the country needs to get better, which is not going to happen without better roads. We need doctors and alchemists, too."

"We do need a lot," Xol muttered.

"One step at a time, as you said, beloved. I do not mean to make you feel overwhelmed. This is just always swimming around my mind. I have a list."

"Give your mother the list."

"What? Mother hates politics."

"But, she loves helping. This isn't politics. This is helping the nation. She'll do this and it won't be a bother to her."

"Okay, I will ask. I should meet with Miss Olga and see how things are going with her duties."

"Take a break. You have been having meetings all day."

"And I have many more. Stay with me."

Xol smiled. "You know I will."

Ileana continued on with her meetings and after that she began reading books as they were supposed to be eating dinner. She and Mei had been trying to educate themselves on being engineers. Ileana was of the mind that she should not ask people to do things that she could not do, so if she was looking for engineers, she wanted to have some knowledge on her own. Besides, it also allowed her to design projects if they were not able to find engineers for everything. It would also give her and Mei chances to train their own engineers.

Dinner was eaten with several conversations going on. Every now and then, the few nobles and Councilmembers allowed to dine in the palace's main hall came up to the group to discuss plans that they had. Ileana and Xol were happy to see the wealthier members of the country wanting to do things. It would make reforms and improvement go so much quicker. Rai seemed to be elected to discuss any ideas that the daijinn came up with.

"Your Highness," Rai said to Ileana and then turned his attention to Xol. "Chief."

"Come, sit, Rai. What do you have?" Xol said, motioning to an open seat.

"I have several business ideas from a lot of different people. They just want feedback on how to get started."

"They already decided that they wanted to sell that spicy cider. What else do they have?"

"Well, syrup. They noticed that the humans around here never use it. They're all about honey, but they never use syrup."

Xol nodded. "Good thinking. Someone is ready to go around through the trees looking for syrup, though?"

"Oh, yeah. All of these ideas already have people behind them."

"Good. Tell them to get started. They have pottery to hold syrup?" the chief inquired.

"Another group is going to handle that. They're all ready for people needing pottery and not wanting to take the time to make their own."

Xol grinned. "They're thinking ahead. That's good. Okay, so they just need a stand in the market."

"Ask Yu?"

"That is his department. He should get it all set up. Suggest that someone go into selling venison. Deer hunting is profitable for the meat, the hides, and even the antlers. Just don't overdo it. We're going to limit hunting because we don't want to end up using everything and end up hurting ourselves later on," Xol explained.

"Limit?" Rai echoed.

"Trust me. We found out the hard way how easy it is to hunt something until you can't find it anymore."

He nodded. "I'll definitely tell someone to get in that department. Anything else?"

"Fur trading. We have a lot of trader partners in the north and it gets cold up there. They're always looking for fur. Plus, you can sell the meat. Also, see if anyone is interested in having a restaurant in the city. We're trying to get businesses going around here in Basilinar. Leather should also be a big business, so see if anyone is willing to hunt crocodiles and things like that."

Rai nodded and jotted down several notes from the conversation. He then took his leave, allowing Xol to go back to eating. Ileana put her book down and used her now free hand to take one of Xol's. Golden eyes glanced up to see hazel and they smiled at each other.

"You two are doing a magnificent job so far," Vincenzo commented, tearing their gazes away from each other and to him.

"It is turning to a national effort now that so many nobles and Councilmembers want to do things, which is great. I feared we would end up being spread to thin," Ileana replied with a pleased glint in her eye.

"You make them care about their nation and have faith that this place can prosper again," the former monarch pointed out.

"It can. We have so many things going on and the additional people will make things go so much smoother. Plus, the nobles and Councilmen can help get their provinces in order to make things go so much smoother and easier," Ileana reasoned.

"You just have to make sure you appoint the proper people to do so."

"I have it under control, Grandfather."

Massimo sucked his teeth from his table, which was close to Ileana and her group. Ileana did not pay her uncle any mind, knowing he would say what was on his mind even if she did not want him to. He did not disappoint.

"You are so disrespectful. He is offering you advice and you act like you have as much experience in ruling as he does. Poppa has been king for over thirty years and you have barely been queen for thirty days. You do not know it all," Massimo huffed.

"I was not being disrespect as I do have it under control. Grandfather knows I am open to any and all wisdom he has to share," Ileana pointed out.

"Yet you blow him off and do your own thing. Not to mention, you have put things into practice that he never would have considered," Arrigo snapped.

"But, they work," Vincenzo conceded with a small smile. "I never would have thought of them, but it works. She is working for the good of the nation and she is doing an amazing job. I know you do not agree with the decision, but she is doing the best she can."

"I could have done better, Poppa! What do you think is going to happen when our enemies learn there is a woman on the throne, a foreign woman? They will devour us and Chuachin will disappear forever because of her," Massimo growled, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"What does my being a woman have to do with anything?" Ileana wondered aloud. She could have sworn that Chuachin was supposed to be tolerant and no one else seemed bothered by her gender in considering her ability to rule.

"What battle experience do you have? Can you command troops? Have you ever even been in a fight?" Massimo inquired. "I have led men into battle countless times." He proudly puffed out his chest.

"And lost," Xol reminded everyone in a dull tone.

"What?" Massimo bellowed while his brothers actually snickered.

"As I understand it, you have led men into battle and lost, both in the north and the south," Xol said. She knew that based on documents that Yu and Mei read and summed up for her.

"Oh, and I suppose you've led men into battle and won?" Massimo sneered.

Xol shrugged. "I have."

Massimo did not seem to be expecting that answer and it certainly shut him up. Ileana did her best not to laugh, but the rest of the group was not that polite. Miss Olga and Viktor snickered while the daijinn outright cracked up. Ileana had to smile now, but noted that her uncle appeared even more incensed than before. Xol wrinkled her nose at Massimo and then glanced at her wife. They would continue to keep an eye on the uncles.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the country gets unexpected immigrants while Massimo makes a bold move.


	18. 17: Good news travels

17: Good news travels

Things were rolling along smoothly in Chuachin in ways that Ileana and Xol had not imagined; of course, that made Vincenzo infinitely more amazed. Having the nobles and Councilmembers interested in the country's infrastructure and other projects made things much more wide reaching. Ileana and Xol would brief Councilmembers on what they needed to be doing in their provinces and get the nobles to help. They also needed to appoint teams to help.

Ileana was trying to oversee everything herself, but it was quickly becoming apparent that was not possible. She learned about one of Xol's other talents from when she was a leader. Xol could delegate with the best of them and could spot who needed to go where with a single meeting. It was most impressive.

"How in the world do you know who to send with whom and who not to bother with?" Ileana asked curiously. They were in the throne room with Ileana on the throne, which was gold and turquoise with detailed carvings of dragons with precious gems all over it. Xol's seat was right next to her and only slightly smaller than her own with a similar design.

Xol shrugged. "I can just read people and I know I can't do everything. I have to trust my instincts when I pick people to do a job that I can't do."

Ileana nodded. "I can read people, but it is hard for me to trust that they will do the job. I have never had that sort of support before."

"I know. It was one of the only ways I could be a leader. I couldn't do everything and everyone wouldn't listen to me, but I did have a few people that would help. Those people got the others to listen and helped me make things happen. You have to use things to your advantage."

The Queen smiled. "I understand that. I am happy you are here to show me how."

"It's not that difficult and you helped in a big way by having them submit applications, so we know who they are, what they want to do, costs, and all of that other stuff. Knowing all of that information and then talking with the people helps me figure out if they'll work. Meeting them helps me figure out if they can be trusted."

Ileana smiled even wider. "You are an exceptional leader and you know that I could not do any of this without you."

"And I couldn't do this without you. This is what mates are for."

"I know. I cannot believe we are ruling a country together as a married couple. I never would have imagined this possible," Ileana said in awe.

"I know what you mean. In my wildest dreams, I had always just pictured us living in a farm somewhere no one would bother us because people always seemed offended by us. Now, people love us. Humans and daijinn alike."

"It is wonderful," Ileana grinned and Xol nodded in agreement.

They silently got back to work. Ileana was reviewing items sent in by her mother, who was in charge of starter businesses and professional education. Lucia was already begging for the chance to start a school for children, which Ileana had no problem with. She was just more worried about educating professionals first to fill in dozens of holes still existing in their country.

Lucia's service had been going on for a couple of months and so far it was going strong. Ileana, growing more faithful in recordkeeping than ever before, made sure each person that went to her mother signed up, filled out an application expressing what they planned to do, what they would need to do it, how they would get what they needed, and many other things. It just made it easier to help when everyone had a clear vision as to what they wanted. Lucia had a small team helping her, hand picked by Xol, and it included Yu, who helped with daijinn that came in and were not too comfortable talking with humans yet.

A handful of businesses had been started in the past month thanks to the agency. All of the businesses were in Basilinar. The once deserted main avenue was getting life breathed back into with those businesses. There were also some businesses that came in without help. Basilinar was shaping into a proper capital city.

As far as education went, first Lucia needed to put the word out that they were looking for professionals to take on apprentices. Professionals were difficult to come by, and worse than that, were finding professionals that were competent. Lucia cast a wide net, calling for people through the country to come and lend a hand. They were all promised fees for taking on up to ten apprentices and teaching those people their profession, trade, or craft. Nobles and Councilmembers helped get that off the ground since Lucia had to reach so far for people.

Aside from Lucia, the original members of Ileana and Xol's tribe all had important jobs within their new government. Miss Olga proudly took on the most tasks and the most important. She was in charge of making sure all of the trade agreements stood with foreign countries as well as initiating trade between towns and cities in the country. She had to make sure that ships were being built and were up to par as well as taxes, goods, and docking fees. It was slow going as they did not have many ships coming in or leaving, but the number was raising daily. She would handle any future trade negations. She would also decide on any regulations and advise Ileana on those.

Viktor had taken on a few social issues. He was making sure the trash pick up continued in the city as well as began all over the country. He began organizing state homes where abandoned children could go, which he linked up with his mother's education programs and any abandoned children would begin learning trades. He was in the process of developing police forces, mostly from the royal guards and any eager daijinn that wanted to work. He also knew that a fire brigade would do the city good and the easiest part of that was gathering people to work; venison definitely mobilized people.

Yu was working almost exclusively with the daijinn to help get them used to dealing with humans. He had to teach them about money especially as many of them were intent on selling to humans, like meat, leather, and daijinn handmade goods, which he encouraged. He had even talked many of them into moving into the city while waiting for the village to be finished. He was almost certain that half of them would never leaving the city now because it was where their businesses were and it was closer to human items that they desired. Of course, that meant a large section of the village would be empty, unless the daijinn felt themselves longing for familiar faces and culture.

Ileana actually encouraged the idea that daijinn live Basilinar rather than the daijinn village. She wanted daijinn and humans mixing, especially in the capital. She wanted everyone to see what their nation was now working toward – unity and respect for all citizens because that would make their country great.

Kwen was enjoying being a part of construction. He liked being busy and liked working with his hands. Xol made sure he was learning carpentry and masonry in his spare time, but he was mostly helping the road system snake its way through the country. Sometimes, they did not see him for days and then he would show up talking about all of the land that needed to be cleared to keep the road going. He had to get a few daijinn to help, which caused an bit of a problem in the daijinn community because there were not too many of them to spare. Thankfully, a couple of other daijinn tribes had made their presences known and they were trying to fall into line with the rest of the country after hearing testimony about what Xol and Ileana had done.

Mei tried her best to stay close to Xol. She kept Xol informed on things that the smaller woman trusted her to, therefore Xol never looked into them. When she was not advising Xol, she spent her time trying to figure out engineering feats. Her most recent endeavor was trying to figure out how to design a bridge based on whatever was left behind by the engineers and architects from generations back.

Fry was even lending a hand, tending to the ever-growing rabbit farm that the palace was home to. She had taken it upon herself to add other animals that were being farmed, which included dozens of birds, like ducks, quail, and geese. The feathers were used for pillows and blankets as well as decorations to clothing and quills. The meat was used as currency as were the eggs; they were also used to feed the palace. There were several members of the weasel family calling the palace grounds home, mostly for the fur, but the meat could be used to. She had even added some lizards for their hides. There were rodents being kept and everything seemed to be going swimmingly. It was enough to keep the country running and beyond as the fur was typically sent up north, so the government was making money, too.

All and all, everyone was busier than they had ever been in their lives. But, they would all explain that they loved it. They loved what they were doing and why there were doing it.

-8-8-8-8-

"We have an unforeseen problem," Yu announced as he walked into the throne room. The royal couple was busy as usual. They had their guardian cougar by their thrones. They had named the cub Shei and since they were quite boring as far as the guardian was concerned, Shei was asleep.

"You mean beyond the fact that we have to mint new coins?" Ileana asked with an arched eyebrow. She and Xol were currently trying to resolve several issues with the nation's currency.

"Fine, we have two unforeseen problems, but can we stick to the one that I'm aware of?" Yu inquired.

"Nobody's stopping you," Xol pointed out.

"So hurtful, boss," Yu sighed. "Anyway, minding my own business up at the village the other day, which I have to tell you guys the daijinn decided to name Xol, and you'll never guess what happened."

"No, which is why we are waiting for you to tell us," Ileana informed him. She then glanced over at her wife. "How is that he acts more like Mei when he spends less time with her?"

"Making up for the loss?" Xol guessed.

"I thought you wanted me to tell you," Yu huffed.

"You are taking forever and we honestly do not have the time for it," Ileana stated.

"Right, sorry. I just can't believe it. It was so weird. Twenty people from our old tribe wandered into the village and wanted to know if it was true that you were in charge and if daijinn lived freely here," Yu reported.

"Wait, what?" Xol asked in shock. Golden eyes blinked several times as she tried to process the information, but could not. She was certain that she heard wrong and leaned forward to make sure she caught it correctly the second time.

"Twenty members from our old tribe came down, wanting to know if you were in charge. They said there might be more. I brought them with me to see you. They're waiting outside," Yu said, pointing toward the door.

"Bring them in," Xol replied while waving toward herself.

Yu nodded and trotted through the room to the entrance. Xol glanced at Ileana, but neither of them said anything. Golden eyes focused on the double doors of the throne room as they opened. A semi-familiar group inched in, gazing around in wander while following Yu, who was gently herding them along.

"I don't believe it …" Xol muttered. She was about to get up, but Ileana put her hand on her arm.

"You do not go to them, beloved. They are the ones that cast you aside. Now you hold your head high and make them come these last few steps to you," Ileana ordered.

Xol nodded her head to show that she understood and sat up just a little straighter than before. The Consort then turned her gaze down to the approaching daijinn. Ileana did not even deign to look at the group.

"Well, chief, here are our first of maybe many daijinn immigrants," Yu said, presenting the crew with a motion of his hands. "Everyone I present to you, Queen Ileana and her royal Consort Xol. Rulers of Chuachin as well as the chiefs of any daijinn tribes on the land. Present your case," he told the group.

All of the daijinn first kneeled toward Xol. She was surprised by their humble behavior. A couple of years ago, none of them would have thought to be so servile toward her. She guessed that times must have gotten hard on their little island when she left.

"Chief, we would be honored if you allowed us refugee in your country. Our home was in such turmoil and ruin that we had to leave or die. We have nowhere else to go. We beg you to take us in," a female daijinn implored Xol.

"I don't think you realize that this country isn't just mine. You blatantly ignored the other ruler here," Xol pointed out. "I won't have people that disrespect my mate and wife stand before us."

"Please, forgive us!" the whole group shouted and they all turned to bow to Ileana.

"Why should we even consider taking in a group that had eagerly disregarded my beloved?" Ileana asked, glaring down at the crew.

"Please. It was daijinn law. Before that, we followed Xol. She was our chief, our boss. We'll follow her again. We'll follow both of you. We don't have anything. No place to live, no food, and we have children here. Please," the female begged.

"We could always just accept the children," Ileana mused aloud.

"Their parents …" the female objected.

Ileana waved it off. "What do I care about their parents? People who did nothing but disrespect my mate and wife." She turned lazily to her beloved. "What do you think, love? Should we put them up?"

"Well, considering the alternative, I think it would be against our beliefs and creed to turn them away. So, I suppose we'll have to keep them," Xol remarked.

Ileana pretended to sigh and shake her head. "Well, if it is a must. I will indulge you, beloved."

Xol chuckled. "Everyone can stay, as long as you follow the rules and understand as well as accept that I and Ileana are in charge. Yu, explain what is expected of them and get them settled in. They can stay in the daijinn village as long as they help in the remaining construction. Get them up to speed as soon as you can."

Yu nodded. "No problem. It's good that we have more people. I think we made the village too big," he commented with a laugh.

"That was done on purpose. Just in case the rest of the tribe changes its mind and wants to move in and it has room to grow in the future," Xol explained.

"That makes sense. Okay, well, I'll take these guys. You have one more person that wants to see you, boss. I'll send the person in on my way out," Yu reported.

Xol wondered who Yu was talking about, but decided to not ask since he was already playing cryptic. He hurried out with his charges and ushered in the one person that was still out there. Xol knew the person even from across the room.

"Ro …" Xol said in disbelief. She never imagined that she would see her former companion ever again.

"Little goddess," the tall daijinn woman bowed. She then turned her attention to Ileana and bowed to her, too. Ileana schooled her features to remain calm, but she was beyond interested in knowing why Xol's ex-lover was standing before them.

"Ro, what're you doing here?" Xol inquired with her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Same as the others. The island is no place to live anymore. We heard rumors about you and your mate being in charge here and you allowing daijinn to live freely. We're lucky it was more than just a rumor," Ro answered with a pained smile. Her usually vibrant green eyes were dull and seemed broken.

"This was a huge risk for you to take on a rumor and you brought children with you," Xol huffed.

"Trust me, this risk was nothing compared to the risk of continuing to live on the island. There's no food and humans are hunting us. Our latest leader decided to steal from humans again and in one of his raids, a bunch of humans ended up dead. It's only a matter of time before the humans find the island and send people there to kill whoever's left," Ro reported.

"By the gods. Why would he do something so stupid? My system worked. Why didn't they keep dealing with the humans?" Xol demanded.

"They couldn't. None of them could deal with the humans, even the ones that wanted to. They didn't know what they were doing. Fights kept breaking out for a new alpha and each new one would be worse than the last. Who knows who's there now considering the idiot that was in charge when I left was the one that killed some humans. We had to sneak away because that maniac wasn't even letting people off of the island."

"How'd you get away then?"

"The people with me were from the whole southern end of the island. We just all agreed to go, including the guards from the southern end. Everyone was leaving, so there was no one to report it to the alpha. It was bad."

"How many were left from when I was in charge?"

Ro winced. "About a third of us died since you left. Between the fighting for the right to rule and the food drying up around us, it wasn't a good two years at all. We lost so many babies. Not to mention, we lost people in raids and some just wandered away, sick of the chaos. You gave us an order that hasn't been matched, which is why I am here now. I can forgive and forget the past. Just do not make me leave, little goddess. I have nothing. Give me something."

Golden eyes turned to Ileana, who nodded. "We will give you everything, Ro," Xol promised.

"We will give you food, shelter, freedom, and the chance to do whatever you want in life, but in return, you will give us loyalty," Ileana stated.

Ro nodded and went down on one knee. "The little goddess will tell you that I am always loyal, but right now, I pledge myself to both of you because you are doing something that daijinn need, something that I need."

"She's right, love. Ro was one of the few members of my tribe that I trusted with my life," Xol said.

"I have no doubt about that. I just want to make sure its clear that Xol is my mate and my wife," Ileana informed Ro.

"I understand that perfectly. I understood that before I even met you, but I tried to ignore it. I won't try to trouble your relationship. I mean, the fact that you're reigning with her by your side let's me know I could never have her back," Ro replied truthfully.

"Don't worry, Ro. There's someone out there for you," Xol assured her. "You're a great person."

Ro smiled and her tail almost wagged, but she stopped the motion. "I'm glad you still think so, little goddess. Now, anything either of you need of me, I will do."

Xol shook her head. "Not necessary for now. Go check in with Yu and he'll fill you in on life around here. After you hear everything, if something sounds interesting, he'll tell you how to get involved."

Ro nodded and stood back up to her proper height. She quickly exited the room and the royal couple was alone again. Xol reached over and took Ileana's hand.

"Should I apologize for that?" the pale female asked curiously.

"No, that was not something bad and if it was, it would not have been your fault. I actually think that was a good thing," the Queen replied.

A pale brow wrinkled. "A good thing that my former lover showed up?"

"Yes. We are being stretched thin and not sure who to trust, but you know Ro and you know what she is capable. You trust her already. She can be helpful to us, especially if she knows that you are off limits."

Xol nodded. "When you put it that way."

"This also shows us something we have to be prepared for."

"Daijinn coming into the country for asylum," Xol realized and her wife nodded.

"We should have foreseen this. In almost every other country on the planet, daijinn are considered lower than beasts and used as slaves. In the few countries that do not do that, they probably live as they were living here as outcasts of society, nonentities. We have done something beyond unique, my love."

"We made them members of the nation and they enjoy the same benefits as any human citizen. We need to get ready for a flood of daijinn then," the smaller woman commented in awe.

"I hope it does not cause a problem. I do not want people to get nervous over a large amount of daijinn coming into the country. You know how quickly suspicions can become something more deadly," Ileana said.

Xol nodded. "I think if we continue to make separate villages for the daijinn, the humans won't notice. Hopefully, they'll remain comfortable and friendly and won't mind when they start mixing and sharing communities."

"I have to get someone to make records of that, too."

"Of daijinn coming in? Why do you need records of that?"

"I want to get an idea of the country's population and several other items, so I am going to have a census. It will give us a much better idea of what we are working with and how much progress we are making as I want to do one every year for now. As the country settles, I will have it done every five years."

"Why?"

"I learned from my father that a census is one of the best way to keep track of who has to pay what taxes. But, it will give us an idea of population growth, which villages, towns, or cities need to be expanded, how many tradesmen and professionals are in the country, if we need to worry about making more farms and mills …" Ileana would have kept going, but Xol held up her hand.

"All right. I understand. Your level of organization is almost scary, love. This is a lot of paperwork."

"It is, but trust me, it will come in handy. I will come up with the plans later on. Right now, we need to get back to the coins. I never imagined a country could be in such a mess that even the coins do not make sense," Ileana sighed, shaking her head. "My grandfather and his predecessors did a wonderful job ruining this place."

"One step at a time."

"I know. I know. Now, back to work."

-8-8-8-8-

Once dinner came around there were plenty of notes to be compared, but no one spoke up. They had taken to no longer discussing business at dinner, mostly because no one wanted to hear Massimo, Arrigo, and Riccardo run their mouths to tear down what everyone was doing. Ileana was tempted to just ban them from the dining hall while she was there, but she had a feeling that would hurt her grandfather. Instead, they now had "midnight snack and chats."

Dinner now was usually left for Councilmembers and nobles to talk with the royal couple. Every now and then, someone would come with an issue they disliked and made sure Ileana knew about. That, of course, tickled her uncles and they chimed in whenever they could.

"Your Highness, this is just too much paperwork for a simple matter," a noble complained while sitting at the royal table.

"That is the Queen's plan. To bury us all in paperwork and meaningless bureaucracy," Arrigo remarked, tipping his wine glass to the unhappy aristocrat.

"It is how she keeps us from confronting important matters," Riccardo chimed in.

"Like the fact that she is going to be the death of us because she has no commanding experience," Massimo said.

"Or the fact that she allowing the country to become infected with jinn," Arrigo hissed.

Ileana let her uncles go until they exhausted themselves. Honestly, another reason she kept them around was just so that people would be reminded of their other options. Ileana and Xol would always look good when compared against those three; it was how they ended up the rulers in the first place, after all.

When it was clear that her uncles were not going to speak anymore, Ileana patiently explained why the paperwork was necessary. The noble went on his way, not quite happy with the amount of administration that went into his project, but better understanding why it was that way. The night was mostly the same, as were the nights before it.

When dinner was over, everyone went on their way. The group met up again later that night in Mei's palace apartments; everyone in the group had moved into the main palace with Xol and Ileana except for Lucia because she was content with her villa space. They tended to randomly chose a meeting place to avoid being spied on. Trusted servants would bring snacks to that room before the group arrived.

"Pass the grapes," Viktor requested as the group made themselves comfortable in Mei's sitting room.

"These grapes are huge," Yu muttered as he moved the bowl over to Viktor.

"Now, if only we were meeting about the grapes that would be the end of it," Mei remarked with a laugh.

"Shut up," Yu playfully grumbled, unable to keep the smile off of his face.

"All right, you two. Play your little love games later," Ileana teased as she cuddled into Xol's solid form. "We do not have all night, after all. Now, anyone with anything interesting to report?"

"Yes, someone has to tell the daijinn to make a few thousand of those leather satchels that Xol gave Prince Franklin. He wrote making it sound like the whole country needed one because he owned one," Miss Olga informed them.

"You gave Prince Franklin a gift?" Ileana asked her wife, who was busy stirring her pudding.

"He was genuinely happy for us and he liked the satchel he saw one of the daijinn carrying. It wasn't hard getting one to show him my appreciation of him being so open-minded," Xol explained before shoving some pudding into her mouth.

"What type of satchel was it?" Miss Olga asked curiously.

"A plain bag with some detailed beadwork running through it. Yu knows the woman that makes them," Xol replied.

"I'll get her on it. She'll be glad for the business, but when she hears the word 'thousands,' she'll probably quit. I don't think she ever considered supplying bags for a whole country," Yu stated.

"Well, Prince Franklin is a trendsetter in his nation, so now everyone must have one. Tell her to get on it. Train some girls to help her or something. Lucia, you can send her some girls to help, right?" Miss Olga asked.

"As long as she does not have a problem trusting humans with daijinn culture. I have learned that people can be very picky about who they want to learn their craft," Lucia answered.

"I'll talk to her," Yu replied before biting into a sweet bun.

"Other than that odd trade request, everything is going properly. We had ships pull into port the other day and fishermen down there were ready to cheer. They could not believe merchants were back," Miss Olga said with a smile. "They should be scanning our markets as we speak."

"Now that is good. The docks did not look ready to collapse? It was a rushed endeavor to make them functional," Ileana said.

"They were fine for what we had. Further repairs will only be necessary if more merchants want to dock," Miss Olga explained.

"Sounds like the roads. The main one is coming along fine, but we're going to need a lot more if more places want to get to the capital. Not to mention the work that's going to have to go into building bridges. There's a lot of rivers in this country and they said the land to the south is marsh, so any road there would have to be more like a bridge," Kwen spoke up with his mouth full of apple, which he was eating.

"While we are going with bad news, I would like to tell you that some Councilmen came to me to complain of plague possibly sweeping through their provinces," Viktor said.

"Plague?" Ileana echoed.

"Dammit," Xol growled and that earned her a light tap on the thigh from her mate. "What? Plague is the last thing we need."

"Yes, it is, but that does not mean you should be cursing. You know how I feel about foul language. As it stands, this is beyond bad news. The population is already at an all time low and now we might lose more people," Ileana sighed.

"Not true. You know, in the little bit of spare time I have, I have spoken with some of the daijinn. I wondered about their low numbers and asked if they suffered because of the plague like the humans and the answer was astounding, all around no," Mei said.

"Did they not catch it?" Viktor asked curiously.

"No, they caught it. They can cure it, though. Using ingredients from the woods, they put together an elixir that can combat the plague. They're able to do a lot with the herbs, plants, and other items found in the woods," Mei answered.

"Mei, this is now your priority then," Ileana ordered and Mei nodded.

"Speaking of daijinn, I'm sure you've heard by now that some daijinn from our old tribe have appeared. Don't treat them any differently than you treat the other daijinn around here. Be civil toward them," Xol commanded, mostly eyeing the immature, daijinn trio.

"I'll try," Mei conceded.

"I won't," Kwen admitted honestly.

Xol just shook her head because at least Kwen was honest and she could not force him to do something that he did not want. The meeting continued for about an hour. Everyone then retired to their rooms. On their way to their chambers, Xol and Ileana ran into a servant, but it was not someone who was familiar to them. Xol stepped in front of her wife while Ileana's hand went to the sword on her hip.

"Who are you?" Xol demanded from a few feet away.

The servant yelped and jumped in surprise. "Oh, your Majesties, I was looking for you."

"You have found us. Now state your business," Ileana commanded.

"Oh, yes, of course. Forgive me," the servant begged while bowing to the point that his forehead almost touched his knees. "My name is of no importance, but know that I once served Prince Massimo."

"Once served?" Ileana echoed.

"I can no longer serve him in good conscience. He had me acting as a delivery boy for certain correspondences. I never read what he wrote nor what was returned until a couple of days ago. I always thought my master was at least loyal to the nation and only wanted to prove how great he would be for this country. Now, I know that is not so," he said with deep sorrow in his voice.

"What makes you say that?" the Queen inquired.

"Here, take this. It will explain everything," he promised, holding out leather folder with several papers sticking out.

Xol inched closer to take the documents. The servant then bowed again. Xol kept her eyes keened on him while passing the documents back to Ileana. The taller monarch thumbed through the documents and then looked up with wide eyes.

"Are you sure this is from my uncle?" Ileana demanded.

"Yes, Highness. My master has been writing for two months now and the letters have been increasing," the servant replied.

Ileana snorted. "Dismissed," she said curtly to the servant, who wasted no time running off.

Xol watched until he was out of sight and then turned to her lover. Ileana was still flipping through the documents. Her eyes were wide and her jaw tense.

"Love, what's wrong?" Xol asked.

"Massimo. He's been writing to the king of Cersa," Ileana replied.

"Cersa? The country to the north that took some of our land in a war years ago?"

"One in the same. He tells the king that now would be a good time to attack because we are preoccupied with nonsense and the queen is 'young, arrogant, and has never touched battle before.' He is encouraging our enemies to attack!" Ileana growled. She could not believe it. Her uncle was beyond a malcontent. He was a traitor.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol tries to feel out Chuachin's military in case they have to go to war while Ileana tries to deal with daijinn healers.


	19. 18: Plagued

18: Plagued

Ileana sat up in bed, reading over the documents that one of Massimo's servants had hand delivered to her. The servant had taken a huge gamble and betrayed Massimo, but Ileana was more than thankfully for the servant's treachery. His actions revealed some far worse misdeeds on the part of her uncle. Massimo was trying to talk the country to the north of them, Cersa, into attacking Chuachin because he thought that Ileana was weak and he felt that it would somehow get him on the throne.

"You should get some sleep," Xol encouraged as she ran her fingers gently down Ileana's chocolate-colored, soft arm.

"I will when I finish with this. These few papers hold so much information I can only wonder what the servant allowed to get away from us. Massimo actually bargained for the country if Cersa attacks us and kills me," Ileana said in disbelief.

"Did the ruler of Cersa agree?" Xol asked curiously, her forehead wrinkling.

"I haven't gotten to that yet. They seem to be trying to work a lot of things out and nothing seems to be panning out so far. My uncle is such a fool. He does not realize that he basically just told our enemies to attack and they might be able to take over the whole country and simply turn us into part of Cersa," Ileana growled.

"He's got tunnel vision because of his desire to rule."

The Queen nodded. "He seems to think that Cersa would never attack us as long he lets them know that he still commands our northern army."

"Does he?"

"He shall not by this time tomorrow. I had not even thought about the military as we have been at peace for some ten years with our neighbors, but now Massimo is stirring up trouble."

Xol nodded. "Then who shall lead the northern army?"

Ileana turned a little to look at her wife. "You have no ideas?"

"Sorry." Xol's ears flattened against her head. "We haven't been focusing on the military, so I haven't really been paying attention."

"I think we need to focus on the military just in case Cersa takes my dear uncle up on his suggestion, even if he gets nothing out of the deal. If Cersa thinks that they can take us over, I am sure they will try."

"Why would Cersa want us?" Xol asked curiously.

"Besides, just for more land, there are benefits that we have that they do not. You've seen maps of our countries, right?"

Xol thought on it for a moment and then nodded. "Oh, I remember. We have easier access to the east."

Ileana smiled. "That we do. That is more than enough to want Chuachin. The markets of the east would easily make us wealthy as soon as we get ourselves situated. Chuachin is positioned wonderfully on the planet to make money. Now, we have to protect ourselves."

"Like any wealthy person," Xol pointed out.

"You are right. I was so worried about the inside, though, that it was more than enough to occupy my mind and force out any thoughts on the outside."

"It's all right, beloved. Remember, I've got battle experience. I can be a general if you allow it."

Ileana smiled and then kissed her mate's nose. "You are as much in charge as I am, so if you wish to be _the_ general, then you may. Are you sure that you can handle it? How many battles have you had?"

Xol scratched the top of her head. "I never really kept count, but more than a dozen. Remember, we rented ourselves out as mercenaries in my tribe."

"Oh, right. I always think of you just trading with humans, not fighting for them, even if for money. Then you have plenty of battle experience," Ileana beamed with pride, grinning widely at her lover.

"More than I like to admit, yes. I'll handle the army if we go to war."

"You will get the daijinn to help?"

"Of course. That's part of the duty of belonging to anything. You have to be ready to defend it. They can't claim they're going to be citizens and then not want to defend the country," Xol reasoned.

"They might argue otherwise."

"They can argue all they want, but that's a fact and they know that. Being a part of a nation is pretty much like being a part of a huge tribe. If our tribe got attacked, we'd all defend it. So, if our nation gets attacked, we should all defend it. That's life," Xol stated.

Ileana chuckled a little and then gave her wife another, but longer kiss. "I love it when you get into your chief-mode."

"My chief-mode?" Her pale face scrunched up.

"You do it so naturally that you do not even realize it. When you start getting talkative, it is typically when you reason out why people should do something. You explain things so simply, like it is just the way that things should be. I love it when you do that," Ileana explained with a smirk.

Xol looked confused, which Ileana loved too. The Queen could not help herself and had to kiss her wife again. Feeling Ileana's lips against hers drove all of the bewilderment from Xol and she just reveled in the short kiss.

"Can we go to bed now?" Xol asked as Ileana pulled away.

"Is this one of your not-so-subtle hints?" Ileana countered with a teasing grin.

"No, if I was, I would've said I love it when you get into kiss-mode," the smaller woman remarked with a smile of her own.

"Beloved, I swear, being here has done you so much good. You make jokes every now and then, you smile so much more and much more freely, and you get to show everyone just how talented you are," Ileana proclaimed proudly.

Xol blushed and her wife chuckled. Ileana then tucked away the documents detailing her uncle's plot. She settled herself into the mattress while Xol closed the shutters to the lanterns around their bed. She then snuggled into her precious mate, who immediately cuddled back.

"I like it when you get into cuddle-mode, too," Xol commented.

"I imagined you might," Ileana replied.

"I like kiss-mode better, though."

Ileana laughed, but took the not-so-subtle hint. Their lips met and moved together sensually. Their hands caressed wanting bodies, but their efforts did not go much further than that. They were too tired from a busy day to do anything more than making out and petting.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana worked quickly to find out who Massimo used to command in his armies. Chuachin did not keep a standing army, so when fighting was done, all soldiers went back to their old lives. Still, those men that fought under Massimo might remain loyal to him rather than to the crown. She needed to find out who those men were and where their allegiance lay. She also wanted to test if those men would follow Xol.

Ileana did not stick around when Xol met with the men. The Queen was more interested in checking in on the plague situation. Xol could handle herself, after all, and battle was her domain for the moment.

There were more men than Xol expected and she just studied them for a moment. There were fifty men standing before her, about a quarter of them did not seem to be taking her presence seriously in any sense of the word. Most of them were clearly curious as to why they were there and a couple of them stood seriously, as if awaiting orders. Xol nodded.

"Gentlemen, I'm glad that you could come. I know that you're used to living your own lives when there aren't any wars, but this is going to have to change," Xol announced and she deliberately paused. She had learned from Ileana that it was a good way to spot dissenters.

"You cannot change the rules, jinn. Just because you're the Queen's lover," one of the disinterested men spoke up.

"That's where you're wrong, sir. I am more than that. I am the Queen's wife and she has given me domain over the armed forces. I'm … what did she call it? Commander-in-chief. The reason I've called this meeting is because the country's in serious danger and I need us to be prepared for it. Making matters worse, we already believe there are spies and enemies amongst us. I need to know who's with us and who's not. If you don't think you can follow my orders, follow me into battle, and obey me when necessary, leave now," she commanded.

The men seemed shocked and quickly began talking amongst themselves. Only the two men that were serious had the common sense to step over to Xol. They had questions, apparently.

"How do you know the country is in danger?" one man asked.

"This is something that you'll have to take my word on," Xol answered.

"Consort, do you have battle experience?" the other asked.

"I have dozens of battles under my belt. Anything else?" she countered. The second man shook his head.

"Just because you have battles under your belt, how do we know that you can lead? How many battles have you won? Do you even know our enemies? Do you have plans for this war you won't tell us about?" the first man inquired.

Xol nodded and before she could do anything else, more men came over with more questions. She turned it around on them very quickly, needing to pose inquiries to them to figure out who would be with them and who needed replacing. By the end of the session, she was not impressed with well over half of the men.

"Boss, you wanted to see me now, right?" Mei asked as she eased into the room as the men were leaving.

"I need you to take notes," Xol explained.

"I am prepared for that," Mei commented as she pull out a notebook that she kept with her at all times. "All the men that just left are high ranking men in the army?" She knew that Xol was supposed to be meeting with them, but she had not been sure when the meeting was.

"Not when I get through with them," the shorter female remarked.

Mei chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

"Not good. I can see why they haven't won a battle in who knows how long," Xol sighed as she moved to sit down on a nearby chair. Mei followed her and stood next to her.

"What was wrong?"

"They're in complete disarray. They asked all the wrong questions and gave all the wrong answers. They seemed more focused on rank and who was higher than who than how we'd defend the country. I'd think that none of them had combat experience if we hadn't looked through it all personally," Xol sighed and shook her head.

"We looked through it?" Mei teased with a grin.

Xol snorted. "You know what I mean."

"You'd be a lot more efficient if you did these things yourself. I mean, if we can do it and we didn't even speak the human's language until we met you, then you can do it."

Xol shook her head. "It makes my head hurt. You explain things better. Now, onto reorganizing this mess of an army. I think most of those men had those positions based on the fact that the former king wanted to gain favor with them or their fathers. Many of them were too young to be generals and others … well, let's just say I wouldn't trust them to guard a sandwich let alone a country."

Mei snickered. "You made a joke."

"This army's a joke. All right, start taking notes. I can share them with Ileana and we can talk about how she wants to go about this."

"Didn't she give you free reign over the military?"

"She did, but I'd still like her input. My mate's a warrior, after all."

Mei smirked. "Something you see at night in your sleep, eh, boss?"

"Shut up," Xol growled.

The taller female chuckled again, but began taking notes as Xol filled her in on what happened at the meeting. Mei, of course, could not stand still and be quiet, so the briefing seemed to take forever. They were barely finished before a servant rushed into the room, requiring the Consort.

"Her Majesty says it's urgent," the servant reported.

Xol nodded and took off as fast as her short, powerful legs could carry her, running through the halls of the palace like her tail was on fire. Bursting into the throne room, she was pleasantly surprised to find her wife perfectly all right. Ileana was sitting with three daijinn and petting their only living wedding present – the cub given to them by the daijinn village.

"Beloved, please, come and sit," Ileana invited her mate, motioning to the empty throne beside her.

Xol nodded and walked calmly to her seat. "You sent for me?" she asked once she was down. She reached out and scratched underneath their cub's chin. "Shei didn't bite you, right?"

"No, no, the little guardian has been wonderful," Ileana assured her love. They had been having a problem with the small cat getting too rambunctious and then slightly wounding one of them or their group. They had been disciplining the cat, so that when Shei grew older and larger, it would not be a problem and he would not seriously injure one of them.

"Then why did you need me? I thought you were meeting with healers about the plague," Xol commented.

"I am doing that as we speak. The three before us are the few healers that would come, especially on such short notice. We have a problem, though," Ileana sighed.

"Communications? Where's Yu? He's supposed to act as translator. They should've brought Rai with them if Yu was too busy," Xol pointed out.

"That isn't the problem," one of the male healers said as clear as any daijinn would ever speak a human language, not counting Xol. There were two male and one female healer. They were clearly not pleased to be there, but they were there.

Xol arched an eyebrow. "Then what is the problem?"

"Daijinn healers do not treat humans," the female proclaimed with a sneer.

Xol sighed and shook her head. "Always with the hate. Why's that? These are your countrymen. They're like your tribe and for you to dismiss them because they're human is inexcusable. You can't tell us that you want to be a part of the country and then try to dictate the terms to us."

"Daijinn law –" the first male began.

"Forget daijinn law! You are a member of this nation, this country first and foremost. The country law is bigger than any tribal law. For you to sit there as dajinn, as Chuachin citizens, and to say that you'd let your fellow countrymen die is like saying you'd let your tribesmen die. If you would do that, then you truly don't care about the country, about the tribe, about anything other than yourself and you can leave us. You're banished from this nation, just like you'd be from a tribe if you tried this bullshit. If I ever catch you in a daijinn village or enjoying the fruits of this country, I will punish you for stealing," Xol declared. Ileana sat back, contently stroking Shei's head. She would let the swearing slid since it seemed like Xol was getting through better than she had.

The daijinn blanched. "Wait, chief, don't you think you're being too hasty?"

"I am not. You come in here and you can't even work things out with my mate, your chief, your Queen, and then you try to tell me what the law says on how you treat and deal with your own kin? We don't have time for these games. The country is on the edge of death or greatness. Anyone that would dare try to tip us toward death is my enemy as far as I'm concerned. Did you come here to make enemies of me and my mate?" Xol demanded. "It sounds like you did. Doesn't it sound like they did, love?"

"It certainly does sound that way when you put it to them like that," Ileana concurred and then daijinn lost all color to their pallor.

"It is not that way, chief!"

"Then what way is it? You come to tell us that you cannot help humans, who most of your countrymen are. Would you leave your tribesmen and their children to die?" Ileana inquired. She was starting to understand how she would have to talk to the daijinn. They were about the collective, but they did not seem to think of the nation as a collective just yet. She hoped that mentality blended into Chuachinese culture overall because it would help the country survive.

"Of course not!"

"This is what you are telling us you would do to the nation, though. Is it that you do not see the nation as your tribe?" Ileana asked.

"The nation is a tribe, healers. It is the biggest tribe we have. This is the whole that we're all part of. So, just like in a large tribe, you would have clans. Think of your tribe now as your clan and your nation now as your tribe," Xol explained.

The healers nodded as they stared down at the floor. They then showed that they understood somewhat by dropping to their knees and kneeling before their leaders. Xol smiled and nodded.

"They get it a little better now," Xol assured her wife.

"Good. So, now they can move onto helping their fellow countrymen," Ileana said.

"It is not that simple, leader," the female healer commented.

"How is it not that simple?" Ileana asked.

"We're not sure how …" She seemed to consider her words. " … different humans are from daijinn. Just because the medicine works for us doesn't mean it will work for you. We could end up poisoning our countrymen."

"It's better to try than to just let them die. The plague'll kill them no matter what, after all," Xol said.

Ileana nodded. "But, I understand what you mean, healers. I would never assume that you took up your profession with the intent of harming anyone, human or daijinn aside. I will allow you to consult with the royal doctor. You may all come up with a solution or you three might already have the solution, but we must find out if humans can consume it. Is that understood?"

"Yes, chief."

"I also want to discuss the idea of you three taking on a couple of apprentices. I know there are much less daijinn in the country than humans, so I will not burden you as I have human professionals, but you should take on students therefore every village that comes up will have a competent, reliable healer," Ileana informed them.

The healers nodded. "By your leave, chiefs."

Ileana arched an eyebrow, not sure what that meant. Xol took over and waved them off. "Go the village and we will send the physician. Treat him well."

"Chief."

The three healers stood and marched out of the room. Xol looked absolutely tickled. Ileana needed to know what had her lover so amused.

"What happened that put such a silly smile on your face?" Ileana inquired.

"They kneeled. In all of my years as chief of my tribe, I had only had three people kneel to me. None of the knuckleheads with us were one of them. It is a sign of pure respect and admiration. The healers understand what we're doing for them and they respect us for it, they admire us. If we keep it up, they'll love us and that will make it so much easier to do things for the country," Xol explained.

"Who were the three people that kneeled to you?"

"You don't know them."

"None of them?"

"Well … Ro kneeled to me before."

Ileana frowned. "Of course. Did she just worship you, little goddess?" Her tone was mocking and she regretted it the instance she said it, especially when her beloved's ears dipped.

"Am I in trouble for Ro?"

"No, I am so sorry, beloved. I just get so jealous sometime. I had to share you, even if I was not in your life at the moment. I just wish there was not someone hanging between us," Ileana sighed.

Xol turned and took her wife's hand. "She's not hanging between us, Ileana. I'm yours and you're mine. What I did to Ro was awful and you shouldn't show any anger toward her or jealousy. It was all my fault. I knew I was gone on you, but I got involved with her anyway. It's my fault, not hers. If you give Ro a chance, you'll actually find out that she's one of the best people you could ever know. I took advantage of that. I was wrong, so wrong."

Ileana sighed again. "You just cannot let me have this burdensome feeling, huh?"

"There's no reason for it and you have so much more to worry about."

"Yes, like the military. How was that meeting?"

Xol groaned. "Can we just feed them all to Shei? Oh, wait, that might poison him." She stroked his head for a moment and the cub turned to nip her hand. He did not bite her hard, having learned a painful lesson the first time that he had done so.

"That bad?"

"Terrible! There are fifty men 'in charge' of the army."

Ileana arched an eyebrow. "Fifty men? I thought the army was organized into only fifteen units."

"Exactly. Where the hell did fifty men come from?" Xol inquired in a baffled tone.

"Beloved," the Queen scolded the foul language.

"Sorry. I hate to break it to you, but at least forty of them were either stupid, not willing to listen to me, not willing to follow you, or actually loyal to Massimo for whatever reason. I think only five of them are actually acceptable to lead anything and that's without an in depth assessment. Out of those five, two might only be good. One might only be good and then we're screwed," Xol commented and threw her hands up.

Ileana groaned. "Oh, great. What are we going to do?"

Xol scratched the top of her head and her tail swayed behind her briefly. "Surrender if Cersa actually attacks for right now. We're in no shape to fight anyone."

"How do we get into shape?"

"That might take a while. I know I can get foot soldiers, no problem. Finding people that will obey me and be able to think of their own battle plans if I'm not around? That might be a little tricky."

Ileana nodded. "This is why we should be on the look out for people. Start going through the Councilmen that we know are not only loyal to us, but also capable of their own thoughts. I have read that it is tradition for Councilmembers and nobles to have high ranks in the military as well as their sons. Try to find their sons, as they are more than likely not as busy as their fathers and they are less likely to be loyal to Massimo as they would be too young to have fought along side him."

"I can do that. Any other traditions I should know about?"

"The military oath. You might want the daijinn to know they have to swear allegiance to this country and the monarch. They cannot and will not fight without doing so."

"I was going to make them swear an oath anyway," Xol remarked. "Do you still wish to tour the country? We can add this military requirement to the list of things that we need to do. We can bring back any volunteers and set up a training camp a few miles from here."

Ileana arched her eyebrow. "Training camp?"

"You can't just take a ragtag bunch into battle, beloved. We'd lose the second things got scary. They have to be trained, disciplined, and ready for anything. We have to be serious about this."

The Queen nodded. "I understand. This is why I have put you in charge of the military. You know what you are doing much better than I. I can do single combat, maybe even group combat, but I could not fathom leading a massive army into battle."

Xol took her wife's hand again. "I think you would be a force, beloved. You would see angles and moves that no one would ever think of."

Ileana smiled. "Kind of you to say, but I am not sure I am made for commanding troops."

"You say this now. Anyway, how did the meeting go before I showed up? Were the healers at least willing to listen to you as their leader before pulling that daijinn law crap?"

Ileana smiled because Xol managed to avoid swearing. "We spoke civilly, but I do not believe they recognize my authority just yet. Give it time, my love. I know this has to be a huge adjustment for the daijinn. It is a culture that is used to choosing their leadership and only worrying about a tribe instead of whole nation. They have hundreds to consider instead of hundreds of thousands."

"They can continue doing that. I'm not asking them to change completely. This is really just adding on to what they're already used to. They can still choose tribal leaders and even their own Councilmen, but they have to accept the monarchy, too. They have to."

Ileana nodded in agreement. "We shall discuss it on our tour. I will have Miss Olga move the schedule of the tour up. We will have to go before the road is complete. It will give us a better idea of what we are working with."

"Sounds workable. I'll find some daijinn to go with us. You bring the humans?"

"I have it in the works for both. You trouble yourself with the military and nothing more. I was given another letter from Massimo's servant and it seems that Cersa is turning down Massimo's proposal."

"Then why do we need the military?"

"They turned him down because the king of Cersa doesn't understand why he would need Massimo at all to conquer us. He will have to build an army as they do not keep a standing army either, so we will have to build one faster. We will need lookouts to make sure they do not attack by sea, but the last time they invaded us they came by land. History may or may not repeat itself."

"It will not because we will be prepared this time, my mate. I won't let us be conquered," Xol proclaimed.

Ileana smiled. "I am so happy that you have taken to this so well."

"I am just happy to be with you, but helping build up a country is a wonder to me and the fact that I can do so much for so many is even better. I like the idea of making sure no one has to go through what I went through or what the dead girl I once was went through. People deserve to be happy if they can," Xol explained.

"I feel the same. We can have something very special here, beloved."

"I'm with you on that. So, we have to keep it up and keep people alive. I hope this thing with the plague works out. We can't stand to lose more people, can we?"

The Queen sighed and shook her head. "Not from my understanding of it."

"Are you sure we should go on this tour? Maybe we should send Miss Olga and Yu. We can hold down the fort, so to speak."

"I would rather they hold down the fort. I work better when I see for myself what I am working with. Any future tours can be handled by others, but this one we should take for us and our people. They need to see us, see what we are about, see how we work, and see us trying to help to get behind us. They need to know us as best they can and we need to know them as best we can."

"Okay. I understand."

-8-8-8-8-

Progress was slow, but steady in the country of Chuachin. The best news that Ileana and Xol got during the busy time at the beginning of their reign was that the daijinn healers with the help of the royal physician and several other doctors were able to come up with a treatment for the illness that had killed off so many humans in the country. The daijinn healers had some cause to worry as their original prescription had been too strong for humans, curing the plague, but causing several other complications; thankfully, none of those were fatal. With the help of the human doctors, they balanced the medicine for the human constitution. Ileana had immediately told them to consult each other and learn from each other, which they were doing in the palace. She had plans for them to publish and make public whatever they came up with for any and all to see.

Ileana also had human alchemists, which were in short supply in Chuachin, sit down with daijinn shamans. They were to compare notes and learn from each other while also training others in their sciences. There were other assignments dished out that she expected full reports on when she she got back from her country tour with Xol.

Xol had similar assignments. She found twenty candidates that she liked to be high ranking officers in the military amongst the Councilmen and the nobles offspring; a couple were actually women, even though Ileana told her to take sons. Xol could not pass up a good, keen mind regardless of gender or tradition. She left them to get to know each other, work on her training camp ideas, come up with their own, and be prepared for soldiers coming in.

She also took five of the original men that presented themselves as generals. She only trusted two of them to actually be generals, but she felt the other three had promise. They were left to study the potential enemy. Miss Olga was secretly left in charge of all of them to make sure that no one betrayed them, even though Xol's instinctively knew all of her picks were with them. She wanted to be cautious, though.

Xol also made Kwen and Ro know that she would probably be sending them some daijinn that needed to be battle-ready. They knew what she liked as far as training and combat already. Ro was very eager and happy to be of some use to the "little goddess." Ileana had to bite back a sneer whenever she heard someone call her wife that now.

With those things in place, Ileana made sure they had good communication lines, so that they could be in touch with the capital. The daijinn shamans actually presented her with the perfect gift for communications to show their appreciation for what she and Xol were doing; they had a parchment that would copy whatever she wrote on it and the holder of the opposite paper would see the message instantly. If there were more communications going on, then using a seal before sending the message would send the message to the parchment with that seal.

"I never knew such a thing existed," Ileana said in awe as she took a satchel of the special parchment.

"Of course not. Daijinn never share with humans, but for you, we are more than willing to make an exception," the shaman commented with a smile. She then turned to Xol. "Be sure to use it too and keep in touch the village. While we know that you're both in charge, the village sees you as the chief of their new tribe, Xol."

Xol nodded. "I will. Who keeps the other papers in the village?"

"We gave them to Yu. We figured that he was the best to know you and your demands or comments."

Xol nodded again. They were leaving behind all of their daijinn friends, except for Mei. Lucia was also accompanying them with Viktor keeping an eye on all of her projects while she was gone. They all left in a small caravan, ready to see the country and hopefully be accepted by everyone.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the couple go on tour to see the country and let the country see them.


	20. 19: Tourists

19: Tourists

"I did not think that we would find something wrong so soon after we left the capital," Ileana muttered as their caravan pushed through a swamp that was located to the southwest of Basilinar. She and her mother were being carried on palanquins while Xol and Mei decided to walk with the rest of their small party.

"Does anyone know how large the swamp is? We could always make the road go around it," Xol suggested. The water was not very deep; it barely went up to her knees.

"It's not that deep. We could just put an elevated road here. We know it's the fastest way to the next town," Mei pointed out.

"But, who wants to go through all this mud and I'm not even sure what keeps swimming by my leg. Have you seen the snakes around here?" Xol countered.

"Snakes?" Ileana and her mother gasped. They had could not see much in the settling dusk. They hated to think of what the place would be like in the dark.

"Uh … chief, I think you need to not tell them about the scenery," Mei offered.

"No?" Xol scratched her head and her ears twitched. She thought that the flora and fauna of the place was fascinating. Some of the snakes looked like they were thicker than a person's leg and longer than some of the trees were tall. There were cats lurking in the trees, crocodiles crawling under water, frogs jumped on them about every five seconds, and insect activity was beyond all of that. If they worked the environment properly, they could have a very lucrative leather trade from this swamp alone.

"No, I do not think we want to know," Lucia assured her daughter-in-law.

Xol shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Mei chuckled and cast "the boss" a look that declared the shorter female odd. Xol paid her no mind and they continued pushing through the swamp. Mei took notes on some of the animals and plants. She tried sketching, but she was not very efficient at it. Xol figured that eventually, they would have to send Yu through the swamp for him to sketch the wild life.

Eventually, they had to find a bit of solid land to camp out for the night. There was an island not too far away that they settled on. Ileana remained in her palanquin, writing down her own notes. Xol joined her and curled up next to her. Ileana kissed the top of her wife's head before turning her attention to her notes. Xol did not demand attention in any way, just sat watching the swamp.

"Do you want to tell me about the animals and things around us?" Ileana requested in a low voice as she moved closer to her wife.

"Are you sure?" Xol asked.

"Yes. I do want to know what we have in the country. Just do not tell me how big or how close we came to being eaten."

Xol nodded and chuckled. "The animals haven't really come close to us in a deadly sense. They have been investigating us, though. I doubt they've seen many creatures like us, so they don't know what we are. They're not going to attack something they don't know."

"All right. You have lived in the wilderness before, so I will take your word for it. Besides, I trust you. So, what do we have?"

"Plenty of things. Mei has been taking notes and trying to sketch. There are birds of all types. Very colorful and all different sizes. Plenty of lizards and frogs and toads and bats. I've seen spotted cats and golden brown cats. The biggest were the sizes of pumas and the smallest are like house cats. There are plenty of things I've never seen before and I wouldn't know how to begin describing them to you. They look weird, but most of them don't have the teeth of predators, so I'm guessing they're plant-eating animals. They look so incredible. Some of them will more than likely be out tomorrow, so you'll be able to see them," Xol explained in a soothing tone.

Ileana smiled. "You like being outside, right?"

"I do, yeah."

"I told you, it is your element."

Xol chuckled and nuzzled her mate. She did feel at ease and in tune with nature whenever she was out and about in it. She supposed that was why she moved her tribe out of that dark, stifling cave so many years ago. She needed sun and fresh air. She liked watching animals and leaning on trees. It affirmed the fact that she was free to do as she pleased.

"I think some of my like of being outside can be blamed on you," Xol commented.

"Oh?"

"When we went outside, we could be ourselves and I didn't have to worry so much. I could just focus on being with you, being free. When we were apart, when I was outside, I felt closer to you."

Ileana smiled. "I thought this was a time you wanted to forget me."

"I could never forget. You were here." Xol tapped the center of her chest. "And you were under my skin. In my mind." She put her hand to her forehead. "You were … you are my soul. I couldn't forget you even in death."

The little speech earned the smaller woman a rather deep and devoted kiss. Xol purred at the back of her throat as she reveled in the feel of her mate's mouth on hers, commanding hers. Ileana almost crawled on top of Xol until she remembered where they were.

"It would not do for us to act completely improper with so many people close by," Ileana whispered as they broke apart for air.

"No, definitely not. I think we'd do better with a bed, anyway," Xol remarked and her wife nodded.

Ileana nodded. "They should have the tent up soon, even though I would not feel comfortable being intimate there, either. They would still hear us."

Xol grinned. "Yeah, they would," she boasted. "How about you tell me your expectations of the trip? We should be at the first town in two days. What do you think will happen there?"

"I am not sure. We should be able to rally the people with us. Everyone is still beaming from the change and they know we are working on improving the country. I am more worried about getting soldiers to help us with the trouble brewing from the north."

"We'll be fine," Xol said confidently, waving off her spouse's worry.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You give me that confidence and strength. Besides, I know a thing or two about fighting."

Ileana chuckled, but did not dispute that fact. They remained cuddled up together, despite the humidity of the swamp making it uncomfortable. Once the royal tent was up, they were urged to retreat in there, which they did. They let Mei join them since they knew that would not be carrying on while on the road.

-8-8-8-8-

The town of five thousand people, one of the largest towns in the country, was well prepared for receiving the royal caravan and launched a huge celebration as soon as the party was spotted. Ileana and her group arrived to being in a parade that they did not know would be going on. Children handed the Queen gifts, teenage girls gave her flowers, and the whole town seemed to be in the streets cheering. Ileana was not quite sure what to make of it, but part of her was displeased. Xol had been entirely ignored, as if the people did not know who she was or what she had done for the country.

They were directed to an inn where the mayor of the town greeted them. Ileana put up with the pomp for a couple of hours, but eventually grew weary of it. She retired to her room using the excuse of wanting to freshen up. Of course, she dragged her wife along with her. She groaned the moment they were alone.

"It just had to be a party. The bane of my royal existence," the Queen remarked with a tired smile.

"No one knows that and every town'll probably be like this. Besides, I like a warm welcome instead of the cold or indifferent or angry receptions we'll get from the daijinn that we end up visiting."

Ileana nodded in agreement. "I know. I just have to adjust. I suppose it was a bit much because of the hard trip here."

"I think a bath might help."

Ileana nodded and found that she was in a much better mood after a bath. Putting on clean clothes also helped and being able to settle on a bed with her wife was even better. She was sleeping quickly as Xol held her close, knowing Ileana would be sharper than ever and ready to deal with the town and its citizens.

In the morning, Ileana was more than prepared to sell herself and her lover to the town. She was all smiles and walked the streets, speaking to any and everyone that she came across. She made sure to keep Xol at her side and did the talking for her spouse, too, but made sure everyone knew that Xol was her wife and Consort. By the afternoon, Ileana had been all over town and had also invited everyone to picnic that she planned. Everyone showed up for the delicious free food; Ileana had paid several local chefs and bakers to handle it. They had been more than happy to see actual money, even if it did look different from the currency under the former monarch.

When everyone had gotten food and were sitting, pleased with the day, Ileana decided it was time to make a speech. She left her spouse, who was actually engaging several people in conversation on her own. Ileana smiled at the effort from Xol, silently deciding to give even more of herself into their plans.

Ileana made her way to a small platform that had been set up. As soon as everyone noticed she was there, they turned their attention to her. Music stopped playing and the conversation died down.

"Friends, neighbors, I am so glad that you could all come here today and see me as well as my wife and my mother. Some of you have spent the past couple of hours speaking to both of them, actually. Others have spent much of their time talking with me, wanting to get a general understanding of what life will be like under my rule. I want to let you all know, which is why I have decided to speak, but I will try to keep this as short as possible so as not to ruin the festivities.

"There are plenty of changes to come to this country that have already started in the capital, Basilinar. We have begun repairing the roads and definitely could use the help of any town that would like the roads to connect with them, so if anyone is willing to work on this, please let us know. You will be paid handsomely for your effort. We offer bread and meat for any and all workers." Ileana thought it was good to mention that because the town was just as rundown as she expected. "We need the roads to be connected soon as the country needs to be together, for business and political reasons. We have been bringing trade back to the country and soon Basilinar's markets will be bustling and I want all citizens to have a chance in benefiting from this."

"We are also looking to improve business in our country and there are places in the capital for you to learn how to start your own business," Lucia added.

"There are several things that the capital offers now for any and all that are interested. Most of the services are free. There are schools and professionals that you can apprentice yourself to if you wish to learn any sort of trade. We are also looking to clear out any disregarded land to plant fresh crops, clear areas for livestock, and make some mills. Whoever would like to help with those jobs, please, again see us. We also need people to populate those things. I would love to see the town cleaned up as we did Basilinar, so I assure you before we leave, we will organize a trash pick up and whoever brings in trash will get bread for their efforts. You no longer need to starve, my people. Me and my loyal trust are here for you and for your town. We want you to be well fed, living comfortable, not worrying how your children will survive the next year, or worrying if you will have children at all, or worse, worrying about where to rid yourself of your children. We want as many healthy and happy families as we can help make. We need you standing with us and supporting us, though. We cannot do anything without your help, my friends. All of Chuachin has to be willing to make the country better for us to succeed and we can and will succeed!" Ileana announced and the crowd cheered.

The Queen smiled. She hoped that all of the towns, villages, and the few cities in Chuachin would be as enthused as this lot. There were plenty of people wanting to help out for bread and meat. She got a few people that accepted coins, but just like in the city, everyone was poor and hungry, so food appealed to them more so than anything else. Once everything was done, Ileana took out the parchment that the daijinn shaman had given her and wrote out the details. A few minutes later, she got a response letting her know that people would be sent to the town to carry out her wishes.

"Did you get any soldiers?" Ileana asked Xol as their party came together to move to the next town.

"A few young men. They're going to head to the city on their own. I basically just told them that we need to be prepared to defend the nation," Xol replied.

"And that worked?"

"No, then your mom chimed in with a much better speech. I swear it must be in the blood or something, but she got the guys motivated. In fact, she got more guys that were passing by to go, too."

Ileana laughed. "What did she say?"

"Well, first, she chided them for acting like I was just any daijinn they might meet. They knew I was your Consort and everything, but they didn't seem to respect the position. Before I could say anything, your mom rushed in to my rescue. She let them know how I was trying to prepare the country in case our neighbors tried to take advantage of us and she scolded them about not taking that seriously. She told them that if they wanted the country to vanish and become just some colony of another place, then they could go ahead and pretend not to know what I was talking abut. Anyway, she got several of them to decide that they would go and they would get others to go. I hope it's true."

Ileana nodded in agreement. They needed as many people as they could in the army without drawing much attention to themselves. Once they had a sizeable force that Xol was confident in, they would make an announcement for more soldiers, but they needed a loyal core first. She made a mental note to remind herself that every town that they went to would need to know all of the good works they did as well as their intentions for greater things to make people more willing to fight for their nation.

"Well, one town down and only dozens to go," Xol said with a chuckle.

"We are not going to stay away that long, so we need to make our stays effective and brief," Ileana reminded her mate. They were just going to hit the biggest towns in the country and hoped that they could spread the word because there was just too much to do.

"I know. I just have to figure out what I can do that does that."

"You did well today. Make sure you talk to people. They like you. You are likeable. They have to want us to be in charge."

Xol nodded to show that she understood, even though she did not comprehend much. When she was the chief of her tribe, as long as she could beat everyone up, no one needed to like her. She was in charge by default. Now was not the same, even though Ileana was Queen and she was her equal.

"This is like reverse voting," Xol commented with a chuckle.

"What?" Ileana asked.

"The process. The daijinn were upset because they did not pick you as a leader, but in a way, the people do pick you. While there are no choices as the daijinn would have liked, if the people do not agree with us ruling, they can be rid of us through the Council."

Ileana nodded. "Yes, which is something that I have to get used to. If this was Fleuriza and I was in charge, all I need do is bark orders and the country would be back on its feet in no time. Here, we must sell ourselves. It has it good points and bad points."

"If you were given the choice, which style would you prefer?" Xol asked curiously.

"For now, this one. My father made some rather bold and bad decisions with no one to stop him. Of course, this could work out horribly for us for we have good ideas and people might oppose them for the sheer fact that they are not used to them or used to us. So, as with everything, it has its flaws."

Xol scratched her head. "I like this system better than the one my tribe used," she admitted.

"Of course. You do not need to fight every single day to keep your position. I know you dislike fighting, even though you are quite good at it," Ileana said.

Xol sighed and held up her right hand. She stared at the thick, dark, black lines trailing up her pale flesh. The goddess had given her a blessing, but she did not think of it as a weapon. It was a protector; she was a protector for all of the things that she held dear, her beloved and whatever her precious mate wished.

"Do you regret your blessing?" Ileana asked, even though she knew the answer to that.

"I could never regret anything that allows me to keep you and to remain by your side and to be useful to you. The goddess gave me life when she gave me these marks and her tears. This blessing gave me everything," Xol answered.

"You had me before the blessing."

"But, it allowed me to keep you and it allows us to be as we are and recognized by any daijinn alive. They can no longer say it is impossible to be mated to a human. All the world knows our feelings thanks to these marks and I rather like that."

Ileana chuckled. "Possessive, are you?"

"Says the woman who holds me tightly whenever she thinks someone is paying me the slightest attention," the shorter female remarked.

The Queen did not deny the charge and merely wrapped her arms around her smaller love. No one in their group said anything about the odd display between the couple. Lucia and Mei did smile, though.

-8-8-8-8-

The trip had been going well so far. They had visited over half a dozen towns and the people rallied behind them, energized by a monarch that promised change and offered new ideas that had proof of working thanks to word from Basilinar. Their first challenge on the journey was not surprising; it came from a tribe of daijinn that were hidden away in thick forests. They found out about the tribe through the village it was near.

"I could go with Mei," Xol offered.

"No, they should see us together," Ileana replied.

"You're right. They should know you're their Queen now, their chief. I just hope they don't make this hard. I mean, they were probably one of the tribes that sent witnesses to our wedding, right?" Xol commented.

Ileana nodded. Over ten tribes from around the country had sent witnesses to their wedding. Of course, there were rumored to be no more than twenty daijinn tribes in the whole country, so to have representatives from over ten was amazing. Ileana was saddened to know there were probably no more than five thousand daijinn in the country. But, they did live in a country where there were probably no more than five hundred thousand people in the first place.

Ileana, Xol, and Mei were the only ones to take the journey into the woods to find the tribe. It was not that difficult to find them, but quite difficult to get to the camp. At one point, Xol had to carry Ileana on her back or they would have had to turn around in the dense brush. Wild animals rushed by them or quietly stalked them, but nothing came close for more than a second.

"Turn around now and go back the way you came," a voice warned them. They could tell the person was close; actually, Mei and Xol could tell exactly where the person was. The voice spoke in the human language, so Ileana understood the warning, but could tell from the "accent" the speaker was a daijinn.

"We have no intention of doing that. We are here to see your tribe," Xol announced.

"And who are you?"

"Queen Ileana and her Consort Xol. The rulers of this country, the owners of the land you stand on currently," Xol replied.

"This land is our tribe's."

"We all know that daijinn can't own land," Xol said with a sigh. She wondered if every tribe that they encountered would be like that. "This land belongs to us and if you have a problem with that now would be the best time for your tribe to share. If you decide something else …" Xol decided to leave the threat out of it. She did not want to seem hostile to the understandably cautious tribe.

They continued walking and made it to a clearing unimpeded. Xol and Mei knew they were being watched, but did not comment on it. By the time they got to the camp, it would seem every daijinn, except for any small children, were out to see them. They made a quick assessment and found the tribe before them was probably only slightly bigger than the one they left back in Basilinar. Still, there could not have been more than two hundred of them, yet they looked more pathetic than the group back at Basilinar ever did.

The tribe lived in tents, as if unable to part with their nomadic roots, even though they claimed the land. They probably ate well as far as game went, but gathering fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants were probably difficult for them in such thick jungle. Stress showed in all of their features, lines marring their faces, sunken cheeks, dirty and cracked skin. Xol could almost smell the despair and desperation.

"Do you think all of the tribes will be like this?" Mei asked with a quiver in her tone. "I would say that this is hardly an existence and barely a step above being slaves. They live their lives in hiding, like we did when we were in the caves."

"What business do you have here?" a male demanded as he stepped in front of the crowd. They recognized his voice from the woods. Seven others did the same; undoubtedly the chief and the elders.

"My mate, your Queen, and I have been touring the country and visiting towns and villages. You were due for a visit just as any other citizen of this nation is," Xol explained with her chin in the air.

"Citizens?" he barked with laughter. "You expect us to believe that you are mated to a human and also that she is the Queen of this land, thus our leader? Could you be any crazier?"

It was Xol's turn to laugh. "You've been living under a rock, I suppose. Most of the country is well aware that I am mated to the Queen. Several tribes sent witnesses, but I'm guessing yours was not one of them."

"Why should we care what humans do?" he sneered.

"You obviously care somewhat if you dare to learn the human language," she countered.

"It's the easiest way to detect enemies." He then smirked. "But, you seem to think that you have the advantage for whatever reason, strolling into our woods and trying to take command of us."

"I do not need to try," Xol commented.

"You arrogant little snot. None of us would ever agree to be pets to humans! We live here in peace and free and it will always be like that!" he proclaimed.

"How can you speak for everyone, especially when you do not know what we offer?" Xol inquired in an almost amused tone. She then looked into the crowd. " _I come with my mate as the rulers of this nation and we have come to offer you something much better than hiding in the shadows! We offer you citizenship to a great nation that we are trying to build! We offer you villages in the light, with space to spread your arms! A place where you may have a true home, and not have to sink into the shadows of the world! We will give you a place for your children to live and grow in ways that daijinn all over the world will envy! All we ask is for your faith and your own desire to work toward a goal of making this country better_."

" _You actually expect us to believe that?_ " a tall female asked while stepping forward. She wore the band of the chief around her head.

" _You may send_ _out scouts to go see what we have done. The journey wouldn't take you long. Go see the daijinn village we have built and go see what we have done for them. Go see as daijinn from the north, who had been little more than toys up there, flock to our village for new life. Go ask those citizens what we have done and then ask yourself how you could possibly consider yourself a great leader if you deny your tribe this_ ," Xol dared.

" _And what have you offered?"_ the chief inquired in a suspicious, but curious tone.

" _A steady supply of food, not just meat or forest grown fruits, but foods of all types. They get bread, cheese, butter, and eggs from trading with their fellow citizens, humans. They have homes with wood and stone walls and waterproof roofs. They sleep on soft pillows with light sheets on comfortable mattresses. They make trade and own businesses. Their children go to schools. They have representatives to fight for them in the nation's Council, taking part in this country's government. They have land. They have life, good life_ ," Xol proclaimed.

" _And it is all for nothing? You just give them these gifts as citizens?_ " the chief practically spat. Of course, it could have been worse as she could have actually spat. It would not have surprised Xol.

" _It's a give and take relationship. They get these things as citizens and they are expected to do certain things as citizens, like follow our laws and pay taxes_."

" _And nothing else?_ " the chief inquired with an arched eyebrow.

Xol decided to put the one thing that they really needed the daijinn for out there. " _They would also serve in the military_."

The chief smirked as if she found the problem. " _Of course. The humans wish to use us as guard dogs_."

" _It's nothing like that. This is our country and we need to fight for it as we would fight for our tribe. Whatever obligations you have to your tribe, you have to your country. This would be your tribe. The whole country and everyone in it!_ "

The chief scoffed. " _Just who are you, pet?_ " she asked with the gleam in her eyes that Xol recognized. She was now being looked down on.

" _I am Xol, Consort to the Queen, and chief of the daijinn_ ," she proclaimed with her chin tilted high.

" _Xol?_ " the chief scoffed. " _A mockery to the sun goddess. You stand here claiming to be the mate of a human and declaring yourself chief when no one has recognized your authority. In fact, you are clearly at a disadvantage here, yet you act as if you are in charge_."

" _Oh, believe me, I am. My mate has a vision and it's my duty to make it a reality. We come here in nothing but friendship and love for everyone in this country. We want you to come out of the shadows and be people, not insects. We want you to reap the rewards of being part of a nation instead of pariahs in your own home. You mock me, but what have you done for these people? Nothing from what I can tell_."

" _I have kept them alive!_ "

" _Barely. You no longer need to do it this way. Accept what we offer and you could become a village. No more living in the deepest, darkest section of the woods. No more digging and scouring for food. No more searching for clean water. No more having to watch more of the babies die because they can't live through this harsh life. No more watching the elders die because they just give up. What we offer, I don't even do it justice describing_."

The chief frowned and her mouth twitched as if strained. It seemed like she was considering Xol's words, so the elders began speaking at once. Trying to convince her to not bother with the stranger who was "trying to trick them."

" _There is no trick. Send your fastest scouts to Basilinar and you'll see. If you agree, you'll go and speak to a daijinn male called Yu and he'll do all that he can to start your village until we return. But, remember, if you accept what we offer, you owe this nation your service and you'll give it or you'll get nothing_ ," Xol informed them.

"We want nothing from you," the chief declared.

" _So you say_ ," Xol smiled and she turned to her companions. "We can go," she told them.

"But, Mei said they have not agreed," Ileana protested.

"Oh, they will. I assure you, they will," Xol said confidently. She could see it in the chief's eyes. She knew what her people were going through and she wanted to relieve that suffering somehow. Nothing else worked, so she might as well try something crazy.

Xol walked away with Ileana and Mei following her. Before they got out of the camp, she could hear the chief calling for an emergency gathering. They would go to the daijinn village and see and then they would know what they had right at their fingertips.

"Boss, you know, that was actually a good speech. I think the Queen might be rubbing off on you," Mei remarked.

Xol chuckled and took her mate's hand. "You might be right. I still need to work on it, though. I almost called them idiots for not believing me."

Ileana laughed now. "I am glad you did not do that. It is hard to get people to follow you if you call them names. I was just happy to see you in chief-mode again. Hopefully, we can get to some place with solid walls before the effect wears off."

A bright red blush shot up Xol's neck and stained her milky cheeks. Ileana laughed more while Mei gave the couple some privacy by falling back a little. They had so little time to themselves that they took what they could get because as soon as they got back to town, they would be on the road again. They had other places to see, people to visit, and a dream to sell with little time to do it. They did need to return to the capital soon and continue governing the country. But, for now, they could revel in their minor victories and their own company.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the tour is ended and the royal couple get to work when they hear that Cersa will attack.


	21. 20: Business as usual

20: Business as usual

The royal tour of the country was over quickly as they made it a point to only be gone for three months. They managed to squeeze in plenty of places, including almost fifteen daijinn tribes. They would have liked to visit all of the tribes, but they received a message that Cersa seemed to be coming to a decision and they needed to be in the capital to deal with that problem. Before they returned, Ileana made sure they visited the capital's sister city, Ro Ryuon.

Ro Ryuon was considered the capital of the west. It was their busiest port and the second largest city in the country. It was just as destitute as Basilinar had been and they took to improvements just as eagerly as Basilinar did. Thankfully, the officials in Ro Ryuon had been in Basilinar earlier and had witnessed what Ileana and Xol had done. They had prepared Ro Ryuon for change and change was coming.

"I wish that we could have stayed in Ro Ryuon for a bit longer," Ileana said with a smile. While it was Basilinar's sister city, it had its own personality. It seemed much more laidback than Basilinar. Everything was not about business; there used to be so much art in the city and she could feel it was a place for culture. Ro Ryuon was a place where there would be grand statues, wonderful pottery, and painters as far as the eye could see. It had been that place a hundred years ago, but now it was shadow of its former self and Ileana vowed to make it that place again. She would have it restored to its past glory.

"We'll go back one day soon," Xol replied.

"I know we will. I would like to stay there for a couple of weeks and just take in the atmosphere, but I think Basilinar is the city for me. I am very adapt at living in a fast paced city."

Xol chuckled and nodded. "I think you are right there."

Ileana smiled, too. They spoke leisurely for a while as they continued traveling back home. They handled as much business as they could. They were ready to work when they got back to Basilinar, too. They jumped right into business as soon as they hit the palace floor.

"I need to meet with whatever representatives have shown up from all of the places we visited. I need volunteers to go out to the places we didn't visit and get them on board. I need whatever apprentices who have made it to the next level to see me as I need them going out into other towns, practicing their craft. I want to see all of the professionals that have apprentices, too, and all of the collaboration teams that I left," Ileana spoke the orders in a calm, collected manner as she marched to the throne room.

"I need to see Yu and the military men that I appointed before we left," Xol chimed in and her orders were just as quickly carried out as Ileana's commands. She also went to the throne room.

"Shall we take our meeting together?" Ileana asked. Shei was in the throne room and charged the couple as soon as they entered. He had grown quite a bit, but did not use his size in any way. Instead, he rubbed against their legs like a house cat, purring while they continued their conversation.

"It would be faster if we held our meetings separately and filled in each other on what happened. I'll probably be just as long as you since I want to start talking strategy with the officers and everything."

"All right. I will get you all of the reports on Cersa and the correspondences between my uncle and their king."

"Okay."

The pair then split with Xol going to her office; Ileana had insisted that she have an office for business because she was just as in charge of the kingdom as Ileana was, as far as the Queen was concerned. At first, Xol thought it was ridiculous because she never really used an office before, but now it was obviously the smart move. Mei was set to follow her, but she waved the taller woman off.

"Go with Ileana. Take notes for me. Yu will be here," Xol pointed out.

"You sure, boss?" Mei asked. Her tail twitched behind her, showing her uncertainty.

"Yeah. It's fine. You can come back if Miss Olga is in there with Ileana. I just don't want her to be on her own. Besides, I need someone to take notes for me," Xol reiterated.

"Why? You don't read 'em," Mei countered.

"That's what you're there for."

Mei chuckled and did not dispute that. She turned around and returned to the Queen while the Consort entered her office. She did not wait too long before Yu and the other people she wanted arrived. The documents that Ileana wanted her to have showed up minutes later and she handed those to Yu. He accepted them with a nod.

"So, first off, I need to know how many recruits we ended up with," Xol asked while Yu took out his note pad. Without Mei around, he knew that keeping track of what was discussed was his job, too.

"A lot of young men showed up from various places around the kingdom, even places that you did not visit. Honestly, we have over ten thousand volunteers from towns, villages, and everywhere in between. They want to protect the country for the Queen that has promised to improve everyones' lives and seems to be keeping that promise. We are doing very well," a man that Xol decided would be a commander reported.

His name was Sesto and he was a son of a nobleman, who had happened to have several other sons before Sesto. For the young man to make a name for himself, he was more than happy to join Xol's army officers. He had a sharp mind that intrigued Xol the moment that she spoke to him. It helped that he showed her respect before even realizing that she was the Consort. He was brilliant, opened minded, and willing to follow Xol as his leader. From the reports that she had been getting from Yu, she knew that she was right in giving him the chance.

"How did we do on daijinn?" Xol asked.

"A lot better than I expected, but once they got here, Ro and Kwen made sure they stayed here. We've got almost six hundred daijinn volunteers. Way more than I ever thought we'd get. We've got rough figures on the daijinn population, too, thanks to these guys. Twenty tribes was slightly understated. We have individuals from twenty-three tribes. Unfortunately, none of the tribes have more than three hundred people in them. Making things a little more difficult, all of the people that came were just as ragtag as the group next to us. Ro and Kwen have been whipping them into shape just the way you like it," Yu informed her.

She smiled a bit and nodded. Her tail swayed slightly. "I knew they would. Make sure Ro and Kwen keep it up. When the fighting starts, the three of you are going to be in charge of a unit of daijinn. We'll split them when we find out who would work best with whom. Have you begun this process already?"

"You know it, boss. We know how to go to war with you. We'll be ready," Yu declared.

Xol nodded. "You're right. It's you guys that I need to get ready," she said, motioning to the human commanders.

"We have heard of your battle prowess and we look forward to serving under you. We want nothing more than great victories," another commander, Cosmo, proclaimed with vigor. He was another noble young man that showed promise, but had no outlet for his brilliance.

"I know, which is why we're here," Xol remarked. She found a bunch of hungry young men who would not stand for bragging that they just served in the army. They wanted to be heroes, wanted to protect their country, and wanted to show the world that Chuachin was not dead. Nothing else would do and they would not betray her or Ileana to Massimo, who would never give such young people a chance and who had never won a victory for their home.

"What are we to do?" Sesto inquired.

"The volunteers have to continued being trained. We need them split up into different units. Now, as I understand it, we have fifteen main units in the army, correct?" she asked, even though she knew.

"Yes, fifteen."

"I don't like the way it's been broken down in the past with odd numbers and a bunch of subunits and wasted movement. Who put that together?" she wondered aloud.

"My father has led me to believe that our former King Vincenzo redesigned the military. It was a way to promote men and gain noble allies without actually doing anything for them. He made a real mess of it, huh?" a very young man, around the age of sixteen Xol believed, commented. He was Dario and Xol had to bring him along after witnessing him playing a game of Go. She had never seen a person play the way he did and he handled the actual former general he was playing again. After speaking with him, she found that his mind went beyond analytical. She thought it was sad that the wonderful minds in Chuachin were going to waste because they had not fit into the old system. Every person that she had in the room with her would go on to do more for the kingdom beyond battle if she had anything to say about it. It was definitely a new era.

"All right, we'll have the fifteen units. We already have ten thousand volunteers, but I want to go to at least thirty, if not more since I know Cersa has us seriously outnumbered no matter what. We're going to try to put two thousand soldiers into each unit. We'll break the units downs into smaller divisions of five hundred soldiers and then a company of a hundred men and lastly into a ten man cell."

"Why so many break downs? This sounds like it's going to make things more complicated," Cosmo said.

"It actually makes things easier," Yu chimed in.

"How so?" Sesto inquired.

"It's easier to learn your place within a smaller group than in a much larger group. You also become intimately familiar with your smaller group. You want to protect these people as family and you want to do your best as you would with family. Living amongst daijinn, this is one lesson I have taken to heart – you fight your hardest for those that are nearest and dearest to you. Now, everyone in this room's aware that we can't all be in charge of a unit, right?" Xol had twenty-five officers with her and she knew that they all wanted high-ranking positions, but she knew what they wanted even more than that.

"If we come out of this one top, I do not think any of us will worry about who was a commander and who was a mere captain or lieutenant or whatever else is left," one of the two women that Xol enlisted. Assunta was barely twenty and had been willing to do anything to get out of an arranged marriage that would have left her the wife of a man that was older than her father. Xol had saved her from that fate.

The royal Consort smiled. "I hope you all share that attitude."

"Victory is the most important," they all insisted.

"Then we'll go to the camp. I'll see the progress and I'll see who gets to do what. Onto the next matter, have we designed any battle formations and battle plans?" Xol asked.

Everyone in the room went into a satchel that they were carrying; Xol found it amusing that they were carrying daijinn-made leather bags. They pulled out parchments of all types and passed them around while talking to each other. Xol smiled, finding out her little group had bonded while she was away. She would have to work to catch up and accustom herself to them. She wanted them to be comfortable with her if they were going to follow her.

There were so many useful suggestions and ideas, Xol almost did not know what to do with them. She found that Assunta had designed several projectile weapons that she wished to try and Dario had come up with different situations that they could use the weapons and where they should be placed on the battlefield. Sesto had come up with the best places for battles from what he could tell their volunteers were capable of. The most shocking was Xol's favorite recruit, Pia.

Pia was small girl, younger than Dario, and very unassuming. She was pale with thin, almost white hair. Xol found her on her parents' estate a few miles away from the capital city tending a garden. It was rumored that Pia was insane thanks to surviving the plague that generally killed everyone else. Supposedly, a high fever that lasted days had melted her brain. From what Xol could tell, it had supercharged her brain.

Pia had papers that showed the few places that their enemies could attack them, the best places to intercept their enemies, the best methods they should use for attacking if they did intercept their enemies. Examining the ideas, Xol could tell there were hints of Dario in the plans and she loved that. It was great that they all got along and shared.

"After basic training, which we did for a month, as you suggested, we started splitting the men into more advanced weapons training. We've got archers and we're working on cavalry, but it's hard because we don't have a lot of horses," Cosmo reported.

"I can get us horses. My uncle breeds them. Business had been bad for a long time, but it's improving. He knows other horse breeders, too, so we should be able to get several horses. I could probably talk my uncle and his friends to donate some, but we'll have to pay for others," Dario offered.

"It's done, so get on it. Who is training cavalry?" Xol asked. "Basil, that's your department, isn't it?"

"I have not met a horse I could not train and I have not met a person who I cannot teach to ride a horse. I have been able to get us some horses, but my brother's farm has only just gotten back on its feet. If we all work together, I am sure that we can get enough horses, though," a young man answered.

"Do it. We're here to work together. We're here to win if we go to war. Speaking of war, Yu, open those documents and tell us what they say," Xol ordered.

Yu nodded and quickly scanned through the documents. "Cersa has decided that they are going to take us over and, apparently, they will kill the whole royal family when they do. Massimo will be last as a thanks for all of his help, but he will be made to watch as the king allows whomever wishes to have their way with Lucia and Ileana and Viktor," he summarized.

Xol scowled and snorted. It seemed like short flames came out of her nostrils, but no one mentioned it. Everyone waited as it took Xol a few seconds to gather herself.

"Threaten my mate will they? My family, my tribe, my nation? Come, we will show these bastards," Xol snarled as she tore herself from her chair and marched out of the office.

"This is gonna be fun," Yu grinned as his fellow military officers.

"Fierce, huh?" Sesto commented.

"That doesn't even begin to describe it. Let's just say the last time someone threatened the Queen, the boss shoved her fingers in his stomach and used a handful of us to take down a conquering army. And, before that, she kicked a tribe full of daijinn's collective asses on her own," Yu replied.

"Sounds like tall tales," one of the few older men amongst them said.

Yu scoffed. "I was there for both. Thankfully, the last one, I was on her side. The first one, well, let's just say, I never stood against her again."

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana was surprised that she finished her meetings before Xol was done with hers, but Xol had gone to see the training camp for the soldiers, too. Xol had almost missed dinner. When she came in, she offered the Queen a glance, but nothing more than that. They would talk about it later.

"So, how was your trip?" Ileana's grandfather asked. Viktor's eyes shined, curious about the trip himself, obviously.

"It went well. The country has a lot of work ahead of it, but it can be changed just as the city was changed," Ileana assured the former monarch.

"I have no doubt you and your Consort will work it out," Vincenzo declared with a proud grin. Ileana noticed her uncles scowling, hating that their father praised her and especially hating that he acknowledged her wife.

"We do have it under control," Ileana assured her.

"So, what were the other places like? Were the other daijinn friendly?" Viktor asked with an eager grin.

Ileana chuckled. "There were a few daijinn tribes that spoke peacefully to us, but on a whole they seemed suspicious of us, especially of Xol."

"My own people always hate me," Xol pouted somewhat. Her ears dropped, but they did not stay that way for very long.

Ileana smiled and put her arms around her beloved. "They just do not know what to make of you. No one does. You are too extraordinary," she proclaimed.

"They know humans and jinn should not mix," Arrigo growled.

"We are all one nation. We have no choice but to mix," Xol calmly informed him.

Arrigo growled again, the sound was directed at the Royal Consort. Xol ignored him and turned her attention to the meal. The dinner was spent regaling Viktor with tales of their travels. The teen smiled through the whole meal, amazed by what his sister, mother, and sister-in-law had seen.

The usual group met up for serious conversations at their usual midnight meeting. It was in the royal chambers this time. There was food, of course, but more than food, there were reports and documents. They all knew before the discussions even started that they would be there for a while.

"Before anything, beloved, tell me we are not sitting ducks," Ileana begged as she crawled onto a couch with her mate.

Xol shook her head. "Far from it. I think we'll do well. I want to start studying up on the last war with Cersa and we'll go from there."

"Sitting ducks?" Viktor echoed.

"Oh, sorry. Just to bring everyone up to speed, Uncle Massimo has been communicating with Cersa, which is our neighbor to the north. He has been urging them to attack us because he thinks I am weak and he wants them to give him the throne. They have decided instead to attack us, take everything, and kill all of us," Ileana informed them.

"Massimo did what?" Viktor asked in disbelief. "Momma, did you know this?" he inquired, turning to his mother.

"Your sister informed me of my brother's treachery while we were on the road since she and Xol were also looking for recruits for the military. I think we did a fine job in getting people," Lucia replied.

"We did. It's a fair lot. I observed training camp and I'm very confident in the people we have. Hopefully, we can get twice as many proper volunteers. These guys just knew we needed people to help maybe defend the country. Once we put it out there that we really need people to stop an invasion, I think we'll get a lot more," Xol said.

"The atmosphere of the country is good for this sort of thing," Miss Olga commented.

Yu nodded. "A victory and a collected effort will do a great deal for the nation and us."

"A loss will be our downfall, though," Miss Olga pointed out.

"Stop being negative," Mei huffed.

"The boss doesn't lose, anyway. When you take the little goddess into battle, you win. It's that simple. She tears and slashes and drags you into victory, whether you like it or not," Kwen declared before shoving a filled bun in his mouth.

"Little goddess, eh? Hanging out with Ro already?" Mei teased.

"Like you don't call her that every now and then. Let's be serious, we all think it most of the time," Kwen argued around the food in his mouth. Mei actually let it go with a shrug while Yu conceded with a nod.

"Well, hopefully, your divine touch remains with you at least through this war," Miss Olga said drolly.

"It's not just the blessing, but her mind," Kwen insisted, feeling like their leader was being mocked.

Miss Olga waved it off. They all took Xol at her word that she had things under control and they moved onto other matters. Viktor got them up to speed on the social programs that he was in charge of and how he had been keeping an eye on his mother's programs. He had papers to give both her and Ileana; Mei took the ones for the Queen.

"Royal secretary?" Kwen teased her.

"Better than a stone layer on a road," Mei countered.

Kwen growled. "Why I –"

"Children," Ileana chided the pair as usual. "Everyone has their place and everyone is important. Now, let us focus. Miss Olga, what have you got to report?"

"Other than the fact that I would like a secretary or two to help? Business is booming, but then again, compared to what it was before, anything seems like booming. We are looking much better. I have been sending gifts to whoever will accept and getting people interested in what we have to offer. We have to start repairing the ports as I have been told more ships will be coming in. The fur trade has certainly picked up and I think leather is going to be our next big thing. Local business is booming," Miss Olga stated.

"Booming?" Ileana was a little shocked. She knew that Miss Olga was using the term in a relative manner, but it still seemed like the word was too extravagant considering how pathetic their trade had been.

"Everyone has been working overtime since they know you are working just as hard. The ambition of this country, the work ethic is just breathtaking," Miss Olga confessed with just a little awe.

"There is only so long that people will accept being down in the dirt," Lucia pointed out.

"Well, we have all been in the dirt too long. It is time for us to grow, rise up, and blossom into beautiful flowers," Ileana declared. "We can only do it if we stand together, though, which is why I have been ordering human and daijinn groups to collaborate with each other. I have also started getting other professions to talk to each other. I want the left hand to know what the right hand is doing as often as possible."

"We definitely need that going on. The way everyone is bustling about, it would be easy for all of the energy to become chaos," Yu commented.

"We will do our best to make sure that will not happen," Ileana said while taking her wife's hand, but from her gaze, they all knew that she meant them as a group. "Now, we should have news on what the other towns want and how many people they have to spare to get things started. Who was gathering the paperwork on that?"

Miss Olga held up a folder. "I have all of that handled. Roads, farmland, repairs, everything. We are going to have to hold up on these projects if we end up at war, but the soldiers will have plenty to do after fighting."

Ileana nodded and turned her gaze to her spouse. "Would that be asking too much of the soldiers?"

"No. Coming home to work should suit them. They'll be able to ride the high of victory into improving the country. Most of the time, soldiers come back wanting something to do and also want to continue feeling appreciated," Xol explained. There were nods from everyone.

"What are we doing about Massimo?" Mei asked curiously.

"I have all of his missives copied. Several of his servants have turned against him. I could in theory have him arrested now," Ileana replied.

"Why don't you?" Kwen inquired with an arched eyebrow. "Boss, you tell her how you handled traitors?"

Ileana turned to her mate. "Beloved, you had traitors?"

"Of course. I was the least liked leader I've ever seen. Most of the time, people would do something stupid and beg for forgiveness, like when they challenged me as alpha. Every now and then, I had idiots who almost got us all killed. I banished about four or five people from the tribe in my stint as alpha."

"Banishment?" Ileana considered it. "I think banishment would do well for Uncle Massimo. It does not look good for the royal family to execute or even imprison each other. But, I must let everyone know that no one is above the law and no one is above being punished. I know exactly where I shall banish him to, but first, I would like to give him a little more rope. Beloved, you trust all of your officers, do you not?"

"It's why I chose them," Xol answered.

"I would like to use them to get Massimo to get himself in trouble that he would not be able to deny or get out of," Ileana said with a smile.

"My officers are your officers. Do with them what you will," the smaller female answered.

Ileana nodded. "I have been told the plague is under control."

"Yes, that was easily taken care of by the healers and the physician. You met with them?" Miss Olga reminded her.

"I know, but I have to make sure what they tell me matches up with what you all have for me. After all, you are all the royal advisors," the Queen countered with a smile.

"I've had this gig before. I hope the pay is just as good," Yu joked.

"I think the lodgings themselves make up for any pains you might be going through," Xol remarked with a smile.

"Believe it or not, little goddess, your smile makes up for it," Mei remarked. The other daijinn nodded in agreement.

"Can't remember you ever smiling this much," Kwen said.

Xol waved their words off. "There's no time for smiling and there rarely ever is. We've got problems to focus on, so how about you all put your attention to that?"

The daijinn continued smiling, but left their boss alone. Yu began reporting on the new daijinn immigrants that had arrived. Some of the new daijinn were from their old tribe again and he was keeping track of everyone. He had some written records on them and they were settling in the village of Xol.

The meeting continued for several hours. It only ended because Viktor had nodded off in his seat and Mei was certainly on her way to doing the same. The group broke and Kwen carried Viktor to his room since no one had the heart to wake the teenager up.

-8-8-8-8-

"Are you sure we can trust them?" Ileana asked for what felt like the millionth time to her wife.

Xol sighed and scratched her head, which seemed to make her ears rotate. "We can trust them. Amedeo and Leon are trustworthy. I've spent more than enough time with them to be able to tell."

"All right. I just do not want this to go wrong. If Massimo even suspects what is going on, he will prepare a defense for all of his actions."

Xol shook her head. "His pride will be his downfall. He'll perk up like a happy bird when they start talking to him."

Ileana could only take her wife's word on it because she did not know what else to do. She glanced around the small room that they were in and then rushed out as Xol's ears twitched as she heard approaching footsteps. They were gone by the time the door to the room opened and three men entered the room; one of those men was Massimo.

"I can't believe she tried to use her dog to reorganize the military and didn't even tell me," Massimo huffed. "Good thing you and Leon are still there, Amedeo," he commented as he patted a man next to him.

The man, Amedeo, was tall and distinguished. He had almond colored skin with sandy brown hair with some white on the sides; he was actually graying prematurely as he was the same age as Massimo. He was dressed in green and dark blue robes, which was a sign that he was an officer in the military. Behind him was Leon, also dressed in the same color robes. Leon was doing his best to not to appear bored and his dark, stoic face gave away nothing.

"Well, it's a new world order according to her. We have problems, though. The dog has put in all of these new, young officers and there are rumors that Cersa is going to attack us," Amedeo said.

"It is poor luck for her. With the way she has mixed up the army and moved your men around, they probably will not fight for her and we will be conquered with no problem," Leon lamented with a sigh as he shook his head. "She even brought in _women_ ," he hissed.

Massimo chuckled. "Women in the military? She is looking to fall flat on her face. Cersa is going to attack us, you know? If you work with her, you know you will be slaughtered."

"What do you suggest then, my lord?" Amedeo inquired.

"Side with me. We will push back Cersa and rid our country of this joke of a queen at the same time. Once her dog loses a battle, the army will see how utterly ridiculous it was to depend on Ileana for anything. They will abandon her immediately and I will take command. You know I have been in battle before and I can bring us to victory," Massimo replied with a wide grin.

"How do you know Cersa will attack? It has been little more than rumors. The Queen says this is why she just wants to start organizing the military. Just in case, but nothing more," Leon pointed out. "Even my own scouts are not too sure what Cersa is up to."

"I have spies," Massimo declared quite proudly, puffing out his chest. "They tell me things. Cersa will attack. You need to decide if you will lose with her or win with me. We are old friends. You know I will reward you handsomely when I am King."

"My lord, forgive me for saying so, but you have never led us to victory and you have fought many battles with Cersa. What would make this different?" Leon asked.

Massimo frowned. "Leon, I am surprised at you! We were mere lads when we fought last time, but now we are all seasoned warriors. I would never fail our country while Ileana can only lose. She is the reason they are attacking in the first place. They know she is weak!"

"Your spies have said so?" Amedeo questioned, sounding interested.

"Of course. How else would I know? Leon sounds cowardly. Perhaps he is afraid of the little dog with the queen, but Amedeo, I know you are with me," Massimo proclaimed.

Amedeo smiled. "It is hard not to pick a winner. Besides, she and I do not have history as you and I do. You obviously wish to become king, my lord."

"It is my birthright. I will not let some disgusting, foreign bitch that lies with daijinn steal what is mine right from under me. Now, are you with me? It is not a betrayal to her if she tries and fails and you simply rally with me. The people will love us for picking up her mess and saving them from those damned Cersans," Massimo said as he patted Amedeo on the shoulder.

"Can you ensure victory?" Leon asked.

"More so than your bitch queen can. If you side with her, by the end of the month we will all be dead! So, Leon, you have to be with us," Massimo answered with a sort of trembling passion.

Leon arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean we will all be dead? The Cersans did not kill us the last time we fought. Yes, they made off with a lot of our northern border, but we were left alive."

Massimo shook his head. "I know they will kill us now. All of us. We have to make sure she does not serve us up to save herself."

Leon arched an eyebrow. "So, we have to get her before she gets us?"

"Yes! Believe me on this. If we leave this to her, we are all dead," Massimo stated.

"I need you to level with me, sire. How do you know this? If we are going to all be in this together, you have to tell me what this is all about," Leon said.

"I told you, I have spies. They have learned that that bastard King Francisco will murder the whole royal family and any noble of notable rank if he wins," Massimo hissed.

Leon nodded. "I just do not understand why this change."

"Because now he wants the whole country, not just the north. He means to wipe Chuachin off of the map now that he thinks he can," Massimo explained.

"Why does he think that?" Amedeo wondered aloud. "We have had queens before and the history does not say they were weak or that our neighbors suddenly devoured us."

"I do not know! You two have to decide now. Are you with me or are you with Ileana? Remember, siding with her will be your death. Her presence has caught the attention of our enemies and they will have her. Side with me and they will not have us," Massimo proclaimed. "We will take our men and take the army and force Ileana out."

"You mean to depose the Queen now?" Leon asked.

"Only once the people are dissatisfied with her leadership. We must plan, though. We cannot leave this until the last moment or it might be too late. Cersa will take us over and kill us all," Massimo replied sharply.

Leon sighed and shook his head. "I had hoped this was not true. I had hoped you were not like this."

Massimo blinked and regarded the nobleman curiously. "Like what?"

"So willing to throw away our queen because you feel she robbed you of your throne. She has done great things for the country and will do greater still, but you are willing to serve her up to our enemies. Enemies that you rallied against us," Leon said.

Massimo gasped. "I?"

"They had no desire for us, even though they could have taken us at any time they desired since fighting us ten years ago. They would have had better luck back then than they do now. Our people are revived and energetic. Why would our enemies want us now?" Leon posed.

"Because they know that bitch is weak!" Massimo screamed.

"Forgive me, sire, but your father was weak. You are weak. The Queen is our strength and she has shown that in a fraction of the time you and your father have, as has her wife," Leon pointed out patiently.

"Leon, what are you saying? Amedeo, talk sense to your cousin!" Massimo ordered. "They will kill us if we leave this as is!"

"No, you will not die, sire. But, you are no longer to be trusted," Amedeo said.

"How dare you speak to me this way!" Massimo hollered.

Amedeo shook his head while frowning in disgust. "Since you betrayed our Queen, her Consort, our people, and this whole country. I never would have thought you would stoop so low."

"You mean to say you would tell? You would turn me in? I would merely tell my niece that you were the ones plotting to put me on the throne as you are old friends who have faith in me and I had nothing to do with this," Massimo said.

"Unfortunately, Uncle, I would not be inclined to believe such a story from you," Ileana remarked as she stepped in with Xol from a hidden tunnel.

"Nor would we, especially after reading your letters," a Councilman commented as almost ten members of the Council stepped in from a door at the other end of the room.

Massimo shivered. "What letters? What is going on?" he demanded.

"The Queen has shared your letters that were delivered to her and copied before being sent off to King Francisco in Cersa, who's replies were copied. We know he threatened to kill you and ravage your sister and her daughter, our queen, before they were done with conquering us. You, who are so anxious to lead this army in this war, have written your own destruction," Leon spat in an angry tone.

"This was a set up?" Massimo asked in disbelief.

"Not hardly. We actually believed the Queen with just the letters, but _she_ wanted to be sure," Amedeo replied. "Leon and I know you, sire. We know what you would do for the throne. The moment the Queen showed us the letters, we knew it was true. You and your brothers know no bounds in your fight for the crown."

Massimo whimpered, as it was true, and his good friends knew that. They were there when he was so certain that Arrigo had poisoned his wife, thinking that having her gave Massimo an unfair advantage at their father's favor. The brothers would do anything, _anything_ , to become king of Chuachin. Before Massimo could make a move, guards rushed him and had him shackled.

"What are you doing? You cannot arrest me! I am a prince of Chuachin!" Massimo struggled against the three men, but found it impossible to escape.

"Wrong. You are stripped of your title," Ileana stated fiercely. "As a known traitor, any title, property, money, anything you ever had is forfeit, including your life."

"This is not your country, foreigner! You do not know our laws!" Massimo declared.

"That is where you are wrong. I know the law. I studied the Ten Orders long before I accepted the crown. I know what can be done with traitors, especially traitors to the crown. You see, Uncle, you are at my mercy because you have forfeited all of your rights. The Council has already agreed that you are a traitor. They only await my judgment," Ileana informed him with a smirk.

Massimo's eyes went wide as he realized that she was right. "Where is my sister?" he demanded.

Xol shook her head. "She didn't want to come. She already knew what you did. Trying to hand over her daughter? She didn't want to see you after we found out."

"I was not addressing you, dog!" Massimo barked.

"No, and this is one of the problems. You do not respect me and you do not respect my mate. We will take care of this country, Uncle. You enjoy the rest of your life in exile under house arrest on one of the little rock islands off in the north coast," Ileana declared and waved him away.

The guards dragged Massimo screaming from the room. "She will be the death of us all! Cersa will destroy us if you follow her! Only I can save us!" His hollering echoed through out the palace.

"Your Majesty, while Massimo was wrong in his actions, I sincerely hope he was also wrong in his prediction," Leon said to the Queen.

Ileana smiled. "I promise you, we will lead this country to victory. My mate has assured me of this," she stated and turned her smile to Xol. She knew that everyone was not as confident in her beloved as she was, but she believed anything Xol told her. Xol promised victory, so they would have victory. With that, no one would question her Consort again.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Chuachin goes to war.


	22. 21: Burning

21: Burning

It was zero hour as far as Xol and Ileana were concerned. They knew that Cersa was on the move, planning to attack them from three different fronts. Xol had already started moving her soldiers to where she wanted them and making sure everyone had what they needed; or at least had what they could supply. She was the last one to leave, though. It was painful needing to walk away from Ileana to protect her, her family, and everything that they were trying to build together.

"Maybe I should go with you. I could help you lead the army, right?" Ileana asked, even though less than a month ago she was utterly skeptical that she could do any such thing. The horror of being apart from her beloved, of not knowing what was happening to Xol, was more than enough motivation to educate herself on military matters, though.

"You would do your best here. Continue running the country. We'll do our best to keep the carnage on the corners and make sure no one uninvolved gets hurt," Xol promised.

"Are you sure? I have studied the tactics and I think I could be of use to you somewhere," Ileana replied. Her eyes pleaded with her beloved to give in.

"You'd be of the most use here. You can still run the country, get me the supplies I need, and if somehow the enemy makes it to the city, you'd be able to come up with a defense. You're best here, my precious mate," Xol stated in a whisper.

Ileana sighed. "I know, but I do not like the idea of you being away from me for months and me not know what is happening."

"We have the communication parchments. We can speak to each other every free moment we have and I won't die on you," Xol vowed in a stone, cold tone.

"You better not!" Ileana huffed.

"I just said I won't!" Xol laughed.

"I am so serious, beloved. I hated going without you for four years when I knew you were alive out there. I do not know what I would do if you died. I would not be able to continue living without you. While we are on this subject, when we are both extremely old, you have to let me die first," Ileana said.

Xol smiled a little. "What if I cannot live without you? You are stronger than I am. You would have many men happy to keep you company if I were gone."

"And you would have both men and women willing to keep you company. Fine, the only solution is that we must die within a day of each other when we are both very old," Ileana proclaimed with a smile of her own.

"Agreed. Now, I should leave. I want to check on the land front. We will engage them there first. Hopefully, the fall of the land army will have their navy ships and those troops abroad reconsider. If not, we have a few surprises for them," Xol said with a smile.

"Be careful."

Ileana leaned in for a kiss and could not stop tears falling from her eyes as their mouths touched. It definitely did not feel like a farewell kiss; no good-bye and no hint that Xol might not come back. The small daijinn was supremely confident in herself. Ileana loved it, especially since that assurance flooded her from her wife's lips and filled her. As she pulled away, she could see the glow in her spouse's golden eyes.

"We have a lot to do. I will be back," Xol stated.

"I know. I just hate being apart from you. I could help," Ileana said again.

"You are doing more than your part from here, Ileana. Now, I have to go. I will be back."

Ileana nodded and they parted after one last kiss. Xol practically ran out of the palace without looking back, knowing a glance back would cause her to linger even more than she had already. On her way north, she could see that the country was trying to prepare for the worst while trying to keep things getting better. She silently promised to not fail these people, _her_ people.

Cersa planned to attack them at three different places. The northern border was the easiest, especially since Cersa had already snatched much of it in a war ten years ago. They were practically in the country already. There were ships handing toward Basilinar and Ro Ryuon, the biggest cities of the country. If they took Basilinar, the war would be over before it began, so Xol had left more troops there than anywhere else. The force that would defend Ro Ryuon was the smallest, but Xol was sure that they could get reinforcements to those if everything went according to plan in the north. Each front had a unit of daijinn with them, so she hoped that would help those in Ro Ryuon.

The north of the country was much like the rest of the country, covered in dense forest. The mere thought of it caused Xol to smile. It was perfect for her style of warfare; hell, it was perfect for daijinn style of warfare. She imagined that Kwen was already having a ball with the assignment that she had given him and his group. He had trained the daijinn with him and many of them were similar to him, happy to make their enemies suffer. Although the daijinn in Chuachin were not quite as eager to punish all humans as Kwen was.

Xol entered the area that they had targeted for the battle. It was large and open with a steep hill to open where they would post archers. There was one way out beyond the way their enemy would come. It would push them to the west, which was fine because Xol would like to end the northern campaign as close to Ro Ryuon as she could. It would be easier to get reinforcements over there afterward or they could end up sandwiching the Cersan army.

"Xol," Pia called with a smile as she noticed the approaching daijinn. The young girl was leaning over a short table with a map on it while Leon moved a few figures back.

"How are we doing?" Xol asked the two commanders. Pia had earned command of a unit, despite her age and size. The soldiers had come to respect her after she showed off her brain and used tactics to defeat three of a unit's best swordsmen. Sure, the three were not as expert as they thought they were, but among the group that Xol and her commanders were working with, they were the best. Pia had defeated them by using them against each other.

"She wants to set their back exit on fire," Leon sighed.

"The woods? You want to set the woods on fire?" Xol echoed.

"Why give them two ways out? We need them to go west if they do retreat. If that is the case, we should not give them a back way. Leon thinks the daijinn will be trapped in the woods, though, and we will lose that advantage," Pia explained.

"Did you write to Kwen and explain to him what you wish to do?" Xol asked. All of her officers had the special parchment to communicate with each other. They were certain they would have an advantage over the enemy with instant communications.

"Not a big thinker that one. He wanted to know what you thought of the idea," Pia answered.

Xol put her finger to the side of her head as she studied the map. "You want to set it on fire as soon as they come out?"

"Yes. I am banking on the idea that the fire will cause them to rush up before they want to and they will be in chaos," Pia explained.

"I don't want Kwen to have to come in from the west. Even if we've got them surrounded, the panic could use us to lose a lot of daijinn because they'll be coming in unprotected. I know what we will do. We'll get Kwen to come in before the Cersa army. They'll push the Cersa to the edge of the clearing and then join us before the Cersan army comes out and then we can burn their retreat without a problem," Xol decided.

"Will they be able to do that?" Leon inquired.

"Kwen will get them to do it," Xol declared. He would get them to do it or she would not be pleased. "I'll send the message. Has anyone heard anything from them?"

"Kwen said Cersa marches like a 'regular human army,' as he put it. He says the army coming towards us is actually the size of our entire army. They come in lines five abreast, long shields, and carry short, thick swords. He says he has been doing just what you want. How did you learn to wage war this way?" Leon asked.

Xol smiled; "this way" referred to what she had Kwen and his group doing. The one thing that she loved about an army needing to come to her was that they were the ones moving and she could easily slow their progress as well as pick at their forces without starting a real battle. Kwen and his forces were felling trees in the path of the army, making them have to go a certain way – the way Xol wanted them to go and coming toward her waiting human troops. In between that, they were attacking the Cersan lines, usually at night. They would kill a few men, kill some horses, steal some supplies, take out commanders and other officers. Anything that they could do and get away before the Cersan army realized they were there.

"This is how I fight. I'm almost always outmanned, so I have to do things to even things out. Other ideas are just from daijinn style of warfare," Xol explained.

"It does not seem right," Leon sighed, shaking his head.

"Would you prefer we lose?" Pia asked curiously.

"Of course not! I just … I am not used to fighting like this," he admitted.

"You are not used to winning if history is to be believed," Pia remarked with an impish smile, rolling her eyes. "We have to use everything we have to our advantage."

"This is true, so get everything ready. When Kwen lets us know it's time, we have to be ready," Xol stated.

There were nods and Xol went to go check on everything else. The troops were getting ready, sharpening swords and daggers or making arrows. Catapults were being assembled and set up. Horses were being fed and their equipment was being checked. The daijinn had taken care to have a pack of wolves and a pride of lions with them; guardians of war, they had been dubbed. They appeared hungry for a fight.

Xol nodded when he inspection was done. She felt good for the most part, even though she could smell fear coming from some of her soldiers. Fear, nervousness, and anxiety wafted through the air, but it was overcome by the sense of determination and pride that everyone carried with them. They would not let invaders take what was theirs and what they were trying to build up. They would prevail. They had to prevail.

-8-8-8-8-

Kwen watched as the Cersan army marched, just a little lighter than the last time he saw them. They were much lighter than when they first got into the country. Kwen and the daijinn had already attacked the lines several times, both while they were marching and when they made camp. He smiled, noting how many of the soldiers were looking around, waiting for the next time the swift spirits of the forest came and took a few more of them. They smelled of paranoia and fear. He loved it.

" _Kwen, now?_ " one of his troops whispered.

" _No, let them get to the next road block and we'll push them the next way_ ," Kwen replied.

" _So, when they're at the next block?_ "

Kwen nodded and his group took him at his word. They had already fell several trees and placed large stones a few miles ahead. The army might try to clear it; they had done that once. It was mistake. Kwen had his group of a hundred hit their enemies fast and hard. They had taken out over a hundred men in less than two minutes and were gone before the enemy realized what they had done. Unfortunately, all of their hits were not that clean. He had a couple of injured warriors already, but they had taken out far more with their guerrilla tactics than they had lost.

They tracked the army until they got to the next roadblock. He could see the commander, knew the man with blaring crest in his helmet was trying to figure out if he should take another path or risk clearing the blockade to go the way he wanted to. Kwen then smiled evilly and waved one of his very special new friends over.

" _You still play with those poison darts the humans gave you?_ " Kwen asked curiously. Typically, he would be disgusted to have someone in his ranks that used human weapons, but it was about to come in handy.

"Uh …" the teenage female began to sweat. She knew how Kwen felt about human weapons, having been screamed at enough during training to get the message.

" _I'll take that as a yes. You think you could hit the head guy from here?_ " Kwen nodded toward the commander.

She smiled and nodded. " _Gotta get closer_."

" _Go_."

She vanished into the foliage and seconds afterward the Cersan commander grunted. His hand rushed to his neck and he fell from his horse. Kwen had to hold in snickers. The daijinn held back as the Cersan army panicked just a little, peering around the thick woods to try to find what was coming next. Someone rushed to the commander, only to get exactly the same. The army quickly moved from the area and then did something that Kwen did not want them to – they split up. Kwen was not sure if he should do the same or if he should harass one section at a time.

" _Sir, I can take half and go after one group_ ," Kwen's second-in-command proposed.

" _You can handle it? You sure?_ " Kwen asked. They had not had enough time training for him to know all that his troops were capable of, even his lieutenant.

" _We've done this enough already for me to know just what to do. We'll meet up at the clearing_."

Kwen nodded. " _Get out of the clearing before the enemy and don't split up anymore. Two groups is good enough_."

So, Kwen's group split into two and continued their harassment. Kwen was a little nervous about the split, but when they got to the clearing, he was pleased to see that most of the group made it back. He only gave his second-in-command a nod as they moved to join the greater Chuachin army waiting in the woods on the other side of the meadow. Kwen could not help smiling as they moved, knowing that their enemy would never see the attack coming. Everything seemed so calm and collected.

"Until the little goddess makes it rain fire and brimstone," Kwen chuckled as he got his group into position. He glanced over at the high ridge that flanked them, knowing Xol was up there, waiting to signal their troops.

The signal was hard to miss. Xol waited until most of their enemy had entered the clearing before waving for the archers to open fire. They also had pots full of what they called "liquid fire." Xol had never seen anything like it, but apparently a few countries in the south used it in battle. The pots shattered when they hit the ground or a tree and spread fire from the archers' arrows. Xol cracked her knuckles, ignited her hand and threw a fireball into a pot, raining fire on their enemies just as Kwen had joked.

"Did she just …?" Leon muttered, but he shook it off as he pushed his horse forward, silently telling soldiers to charge.

Most of the army followed him, which he was pleased with. He knew some of them would chicken out. It was the nature of being a new soldier, but most of them were moving forward, screaming and staying in formation just as they had been ordered. He liked the fact that they looked like a professional army helped them act like a professional army considering the rush training that they had. Although, he would concede that while the training was hurried, what Xol had come up with definitely made up for it.

There were uniforms for the troops, all donated by citizens. The foot soldiers wore the typical green robes with mail over that and segmented plates over that for protection and flexibility. They carried long shields with narrow, curved, almost saber-like swords that gave them a reach advantage over their enemy; they could also use their swords effectively for thrusting and slicing. Their daggers were the same, but shorter. High-laced shoes with cleats on the soles gripped the ground while lightweight helmets protected their heads. They quickly threw spears if they were carrying any while also trying to block javelins being hurled their way.

Their few forces on horseback were dressed just as the foot soldiers. They carried smaller shields. Aside from being on horses, the cavalry also had other animals with them. The daijinn had taken the time to train dozens of wolf pups and wild cats to follow the cavalry and attack their enemies just like the soldiers did.

The daijinn themselves did not have uniforms or any of the other items that their human comrades did. The best Xol had been able to order them into was using the armor. Some carried shields, but not all of them. Some of them did not even bother with helmets. It definitely did not help that their commander barely agreed to even wear the armor. She had to threaten Kwen into wearing mail under his shirt.

"Okay, let's see if this is feels like it does feel," Xol said as she rolled both of her shoulders. She flexed her hands as she unleashed her claws. Her goddess marks shined and she could feel the burn in both arms. Wiggling her fingers, flames danced at the tips of all ten of her digits. She smirked. "Well, can't waste the goddess' gift …"

The pale daijinn blazed both of her hands as she leaped into the fray from her spot partially up the cliff. The sight of her falling with her arms burning, she looked like a comet about to crash into the ground. No one was quite sure what she was until she landed and suddenly started scorching every Cersan that caught her eye.

"Is she …?" a daijinn wondered and quickly got his head back into the game as a sword cut into his side.

Soon, there was nothing but the battle. Arrows whistled through the air, trying to go over the sounds of screams and metal clashing against metal. There were growls and snarls from the animals on the battlefield as they attacked and shredded the enemies whenever they could. The smell of sweat and blood was drowned out by the scent of burning flesh and seared earth.

Xol tore through their enemies like she was possessed; later on, the daijinn would say that the sun goddess herself possessed her. Xol was only driven by the thought that these people would dare invade her home, threaten her mate, threaten her family, and try to destroy what they were all trying to build. _How dare they even think such a thing was possible!_

"I won't let that happen!" Xol roared and it looked like fire came from her mouth. It certainly was coming through her hands as she cut through armor and into whatever poor soul stood in her way.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana was sitting at her desk, doing her best to focus on her work, but it was difficult to concentrate. It did not help matters that she had her communication parchment with Xol sitting right next to her. She wanted to hear some word from her beloved, but she had not gotten a message all day. Mei came in just in time to notice light brown eyes lingering on the parchment.

"She isn't going to write. The battle started a little after noon," Mei reported.

"How do you know?" Ileana demanded.

"Kwen. Big, dumb ox can actually write," Mei chuckled. "He scribbled a sentence to me, Yu, and Ro right before it happened. He said Xol was busy, making sure everything was perfect. The little goddess is in her element."

"War is her element?"

"Protection is her element. She was created to protect, chosen to protect. This is where you see what type of leader she is and how fast her mind actually works," Mei reported.

"Well, I obviously will not see it. She practically ordered me to stay behind. She handed out jobs for this so quickly my head was spinning. I wanted to help and she just kept insisting that I would be useful here. I can hold my own in battle."

Mei nodded. "That's something else that she's good at. She can delegate the hell out of something. She didn't tell you to stay behind because she's scared you'll get hurt or something. We all know you can hold your own in battle, boss. If the little goddess says you're best here, you're best here."

"How does she even know? I do not understand." She wanted to pout, but she maintained her dignity and kept her expression straight.

"Well, I can't begin to guess how she knows and why she knows you'd be best here. You asked her and she explained it, right?"

Ileana nodded. "She says I have to continue governing the country, first and foremost. Next, I am the one that has to make sure the army continues getting what it needs. Lastly, she feels like I would know what to do if the enemy makes it to our gates. While they are all very good reasons, I still do not like being here while she is there. What of you?"

Mei scratched her head and her ears rotated. "I'm not sure. I know she says I'm best here, which means I probably am best here, but I worry about her being off on her own with just an idiot like Kwen, who can barely write."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Mei sighed and scratched her head again. Her ears dropped that time. "Okay, you can't tell the chief I told you this, but you notice how whenever she needs notes or she needs to read something, she gets me or Yu?"

Ileana nodded. "Wait, are you trying to say my beloved cannot read or write? This is untrue. She learned the basics while by my side and has written to me from the front."

"Yes, she learned the basics, but not much beyond that. She can write basics, like Kwen, and she can read the words, but she doesn't comprehend really. I guarantee you, she had someone writing for her from the front if the words don't look like a child wrote them. This is one of her major weaknesses and it's compounded by the fact that when she doesn't get something, she just gives up on it. This is why she delegates. She doesn't take the time to learn things if she doesn't have to. She doesn't have to read because me or Yu will do it. She doesn't have to write for the same reason. Hell, she doesn't even have to give speeches to rally people because you'll do it."

The Queen rubbed her forehead. "Sounds like she still retains some fear from when she was younger. She would be bold, but only when pushed. She needs to be pushed for things. I will get on her case about the reading and writing as soon as she returns, but I will continue to enjoy her delegating skills … whenever they do not involve me. I need to learn to delegate."

"You do, but you work in a different way. You want to know how to do everything you ask someone to do, so you can be very specific in your instructions to make sure everything goes right the first time. Not to mention, you are used to people not listening to you. The chief came from a system where if people didn't listen, she just fired up her hand and they remembered she could crush them if she felt like it. So, I think you two together are a whirlwind that no one can stop because you both bring excellent and powerful skills to the table. It's a pleasure watching you work and working for you," Mei declared.

"Are you done trying to make me feel better?" Ileana asked with a smile.

"I just want you to stop worrying. The boss will be fine and back before you know it. She'll have won the war and everything'll be fine, so you should do your part and keep the country running," Mei replied with her own smile.

Ileana sighed, but nodded to show that she understood what Mei meant. She also smiled to show her appreciation before she turned her attention back to her work. She was able to focus by reminding herself that Xol was counting on her and she would hear from Xol as soon as the battle was won. Not to mention, she kept herself going by telling herself she had a lot to scold Xol over when she returned. _Not being able to read! Why the very idea that she never asked me is insulting!_

-8-8-8-8-

Xol was panting, displaying her elongated canine teeth. White smoke came out of her mouth, as if it was freezing cold, but it was far from it. Her face was covered in mud, dirt, and blood, but none of it her own. Her eyes were blazing, but the fire inside of her seemed to be dying down. Her army stood in awe and some in fear of her.

"Hey, boss," Kwen called as if it was a regular day as he strolled over to her.

Xol turned sharply and blinked in recognition. "Yeah?" she asked as she blinked again and the molten look in her gaze settled down.

"You gonna follow them?" he asked, nodding into the direction that their decimated enemy had retreated to. They had gone just where Xol wanted them to go.

The small daijinn cast a long look to the west and then look the battlefield over. "Gather up our wounded and collect the dead. I want to know our numbers before we start after them. I want everything useful collected from the dead and if we have time we can bury them."

"Gotcha, boss," Kwen said with a nod and then turned to his group. "You heard the boss! Get on it!"

The daijinn, around eighty from the original hundred that Kwen had under his command, snapped out of their awe and began moving. The humans were still a bit blank, but the movement caught their attention and got them to start moving, too. Xol's few officers approached her for a second, but then stopped and got to work. Their questions could wait.

Xol had to walk around a little to calm her nerves. She had been in battle before, but this war was different. She was fighting for her own home, her own people, and that was the reward. Every fiber of her being seemed to twitch and she could practically feel her marks carving their way down the left side of her body. She wondered if her mate could feel her own tattoos growing.

"Hey," Pia said, calling attention to herself as Xol wandered into camp and did not even seem to realize it.

"Huh?" Xol blinked and looked around. She could see everyone watching her, questioning her.

"What was that thing with the fire?" Pia inquired in disbelief. "Are you some kind of demon? Part dragon?"

"She's not a demon!" Kwen barked in a fury as he stormed over. "Show some respect! Xol is the chosen one of the sun goddess! What you all just witnessed was the goddess' blessing!"

"So … your marks …" a daijinn muttered while pointing a shaky finger at Xol.

Xol held up her pale white hand, showing off the black lines crawling up her limb. "They're real. I don't know why I have this power beyond being able to protect my mate, but I'll use this blessing to protect all that we have, all that we are. I'll use it to protect our home, our country, our people, our nation. I'll use it to protect as many of you as I can and your families along with my family," she vowed. "If you are with me, then I am with you, always and forever. You are my nation, my tribe, my family."

Eyes were amazed, but slowly everyone nodded and Xol could feel a new energy come from her army. A frisson raced up her spine and her marks glowed. She grinned, showing off those elongated canines that did not seem as long now that she was calm.

-8-8-8-8-

The message of the victory came in, but Ileana was not at her desk at the time. It barely took half a day for her to see why Xol was right in leaving her behind. She and Mei had to rush out of the palace to the daijinn village and keep the daijinn from fighting each other over participating in the war. Apparently, they had gotten word of the daijinn casualties already.

"Hey!" Mei screamed after they wrangled the crowd with the help of some collected daijinn. Ileana was reluctant to bring in royal guards since they were all human. She doubted that having more humans around would make the situation better.

"My people, now is far from the time to fight with each other! We are being invaded by people trying to tear down our dreams and all fighting does is make them a success. We have to keep building while we have loved ones fighting our enemies, fighting for us and our dreams. Do you honestly think this is not something to concern yourself with? You think this is a human problem? What do you think will happen when Cersa takes this country over? Do you honestly believe they would give you villages? They would take you as citizens? They would give you businesses? Are you so content to be shadows in the woods?" Ileana demanded with fury in her eyes.

"You want to go back to living like animals?" Mei asked curiously. "How could you want that after seeing what the Queen has given you?"

"Not to mention what your youngsters have left to fight for? The people that are gone want this. They want a nation, which is why they left to fight for it. They want something bigger than themselves, bigger than a tribe, and something that makes life so much better. You would dishonor them by trying to say this is just a human problem? How can it just be a human problem when you stand to lose all you have, too? Tell me how that is even possible," Ileana challenged them.

"It is not possible," Mei answered for them. "If you don't believe in this war and you don't believe in this dream, go back to the woods. Leave us be. But, don't come back to us when you see the beauty that we've created."

The daijinn were silent, but slowly began to appear properly chastised. Mutters and mumbles made their rounds in the crowd before they drifted off to go about their business. Ileana frowned and shook her head as she and Mei returned to the palace. She threw herself back at her desk and finally caught sight of the good news.

"Oh, dear lord, they won!" Ileana breathed a sigh of relief and had to wipe tears from her eyes.

"That's just the battle, boss. Wait until the chief comes back with a victory from this war," Mei boasted with a grin.

Ileana chuckled and cried at the same time. "I cannot wait."

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: a couple more battles and the war's end.


	23. 22: Blazing glory

22: Blazing glory

The nickname "little goddess" now took on a new meaning for the daijinn following Xol. The knowledge that her marks were real and that they allowed her to control fire produced in her own body was beyond awe-inspiring for the daijinn. She was obviously some great gift from the goddess.

The humans were amazed by her ability, too, but definitely not to the same extent. Kwen was the only one who seemed unimpressed, even as he stood next to her at the edge of the battlefield. Of course, he did have questions, though, because she had done something that he had never witnessed before.

"Since when can you do both hands?" Kwen asked as the army gathered itself and prepared to move out. They had gotten tons of great things from their defeated enemies, including rations and valuables.

"After I married Ileana, the marks extended to my left shoulder. She wondered if I could do my left hand. I tried and failed a few times, but the marks slowly make their way across my body, so I always keep trying. This was actually the first time I did it, though," Xol replied.

His brow furrowed and his tail thrashed behind him. "So, you just jumped into the madness, not knowing if the left hand would do anything? You could've gotten hurt! The taller boss would've killed me if you got hurt!"

Xol chuckled. "She would've spared you to go after me."

He snorted and folded his arms across his wide chest. "She'd get to me soon enough. So, how far do the goddess' marks go? Can you do the solar tears from any other part of your body?"

She shrugged. "I'll try it the next battle and we need to get to that. I want to be able to send some of us to west just in case."

"You want my group to go ahead and start stalking them again? Put some roadblocks in their way to give you guys a chance to catch them?"

She nodded. "You know where I want the next battle, right?"

"Of course."

"Drive them there and we'll do our best to finish them off."

Kwen nodded to show he understood and then was off to collect his unit. They quickly did a count and Kwen jotted down the names of the people absent, so that their families could be notified as soon as possible. The Queen would compensate the families as best she could, knowing nothing could make up for losing a loved one, even if it was to defend their home.

Xol gathered the rest of the army as soon as she could. Names were taken down of the soldiers who were gone; they were all assumed dead at this point, even though they knew some had deserted. All of the divisions were left alone, even though the smaller ones were now short on men. There was not enough time for them to reorganize. They would hopefully make due as they chased their enemy down to engage again.

Marching off, the Chuachin army was able to set up while the daijinn drove their enemy to them. Again, the invaders did not know what hit them. After that battle, the Cersan army seemed ready to retreat back to the north. Xol chased them for another battle, just so they understood that it was not a fluke and they needed to stay out of Chuachin.

-8-8-8-8-

Yu stared out into the ocean with Assunta standing by him. They watched the calm waters before looking around the terrain before them. There was a rocky beach below the cliff that they stood on. Assunta bit her thumbnail before turning her attention to Yu.

"Do you think this will work?" Assunta asked.

"We've made a good plan, so we should have faith in it. Having gotten word from both Xol and Kwen, it seems that sticking to our plans works, so we need to do that," Yu answered.

Assunta nodded. "I hope this works. I do not want to mess up the one chance I have to give thanks to the Queen and the royal Consort."

Yu waved her off. "The boss and the chief will give you more than one chance to prove yourself. Don't worry about it. You need to be more like Dario. He's already come up with about five backup plans if something goes wrong rather than just worrying about if something goes wrong."

"As a man, he has less to prove, but you are right. We should see what he has going," she suggested.

Yu nodded in agreement. They turned around to go meet up with the other officers to make sure everyone was on the same page. Dario had several backup plans, but he did not share them because he did not want to confuse everyone. He just made sure they knew of the plans in case something went wrong. They did not have time to consider that things might go wrong, though, as the enemy ships came into view.

Everyone ran into their positions, but they had to wait for their extremely small naval forces before they could spring into action. The tiny navy, which consisted of ten volunteered ships, held the most important weapon of the battle, which Assunta, Dario, and a couple of others had put together.

The ships waited until the enemy was close and then they unleashed the key for winning the battle – liquid fire. It burned on water just as well as it burned on land. The ships were capable of holding small catapults and slings to launch the jars, but the effect was the same and immediate. The waters in between them and their enemy ignited. At first, the enemy kept coming, until the liquid fire hit their hulls and decks. They needed to make emergency landings for their ships. The Chuachin army was waiting at the only natural harbor close enough for the ships to safely land.

Assunta was shaking atop her horse as the ships came closer and Dario moved closer to steady her. He leaned forward, almost as if he was going to touch her, but he thought better of it. He offered her a smile and a silent plea in his gaze that begged her not to freak out now. She chuckled and smiled back.

"Thanks. I needed that," she said before taking a calming breath. She also appreciated the fact that he had held off on touching her, which would have been noticed and someone might have thought that she needed comforting, which would make her seem weak.

"It's fine to be nervous. This is our first time doing anything like this and the one person that gave us this chance isn't even here to help us. But, she trusts us and she left us one of her right hand men, so we can do this," Dario stated.

Assunta nodded. "You're right. You're absolutely right."

"Besides, we already have a major victory thanks to the Consort. We should ride that wave while the troops are more than confident in all of our abilities," he remarked with a smile that made it seem like he was joking. It was hard to tell with him, though.

"Dario, you are a strange man."

He only shrugged before deciding it was safe to leave Assunta alone. She was in charge of the archers. She had her men armed and positioned. The archers with long bows would be firing much sooner than her troops with crossbows, but everyone knew what was expected of them. They just needed to watch and wait for her signal, which meant she needed to watch and wait for the ships.

As soon as the ships were in range of the longbows, blazing arrows rained down on them like fire and brimstone. The large ships could not turn quickly enough to escape and were pelted by the Chuachin navy with more liquid fire. The Cersans were left the options of escape to the beach or burn alive. Once on the beach, they were met with a whole new set of unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances.

The longbow archers were replaced with the crossbowmen and re-curved bowmen, but they were only to fire upon Cersans in front. The back of the lines were taken care of by Yu and his small unit driving the Cersans forward up the beach. Yu's job was dangerous as there was a high chance of being hit by friendly fire as well as an enemy. Still, the daijinn did their jobs, bringing along their guardians of war and cutting down the Cersan forces as they came on the beach.

Cersans tried to make a run for higher ground and for some cover, thinking that they would wipe out the daijinn on their heels and then take care of the archers. The daijinn were helped by a few small groups of the army, but the main section was waiting further up the beach. Their enemies never saw them coming and the Chuachinese ended up cornering the Cersan with their troops at the front and the back with the ocean and cliffs blocking any chance of Cersan escape. Slaughter would have been a kind way to put it with what the Chuachin did to the armed forces that thought they would take over the capital city.

Most of the Cersan troops were killed as they had to run into the fray to get off of their burning ships. Most of the equipment that had been on the ships had to be abandoned because there was no time to set it up. Most important was that the Chuachinese were already hyped from word of their early victory in the meadows by Xol.

"And to think, you were worried," Dario said to Assunta as the sunset and the battle waned. He was nursing a wound to his shoulder and did not seem to notice the deep gash on his cheek.

"I'm still worried. As they bring in prisoners, they're bringing in our casualties and the number appears quite high," Assunta noted.

"I'm sure we do have a lot. Hell, I am one," Dario pointed out, motioning to his wound.

"We have taken a massive victory here, though. I think I will revel in it for a moment," Assunta smiled.

"You should. You earned it. Where's Yu?" Dario asked while scanning the growing darkness for the other officer.

"Still alive. He's making his report to the Commander. He says that she is still hunting down the armies in the forests, so this war is not over," Assunta pointed out.

Dario shook his head. "I know it isn't, but we just took a huge step forward in changing that."

The pair went off in search of Yu while also taking in the damages of their army. They knew Xol was wise to give them the biggest split of the military, but they had no idea that they would achieve their part in one battle. They found Yu near one of the tents, leaning on his leg and scribbling fiercely.

"Are you trying to make everyone's reports?" Assunta asked curiously.

Yu glanced up. "No, but I'm trying to get as much details as I can on the other fronts. The chief is still hunting down the other part of the army. She thinks they're going to stand and fight eventually, so she's trying to find the best place to cut them off before they have the time to mount an offensive strike."

"You told her we won here?" Dario inquired, puffing out his chest at the mention of their achievement.

"First thing I said. I made sure she knew we decimated these damned Cersans. She wants us to join up with her as soon as possible. This shit would've been so much easier if we had finished the fucking roads," Yu growled in frustration. Dario and Assunta blinked in shock.

"Are you okay, Yu?" Dario asked. It was not often that they heard swear words leave Yu's mouth and it was also rare for him to show such aggravation.

Yu scratched the top of his head. "Fine. I just hate being so far away from her. If anything happens to her, her mate will have my head and I'll never forgive myself."

"I'm sure it doesn't help that you lost a lot of your unit," Assunta pointed out.

The daijinn sighed and shook his head. "No, it doesn't." He estimated that he had lost about half of his troops since they had the hardest part of the mission. They went bravely and helped save the country, but that did not make suffering their loss any easier. The fact that they had lost many human soldiers was like salt on the wound.

"We'll pull out of here as soon as possible and meet up with her. The wounded can go back to Basilinar since we're close," Dario offered.

Yu nodded. "She'll probably need the backup, too. Once the Cersans get word of this, they'll probably pull that small fleet going to Ro Ryuon onto the nearest bit of shore and march out for the boss."

"They'll have to go through us if they want her," Assunta proclaimed.

"Agreed," Yu said.

"Then let's not stand here talking about it. It's time to get everything squared away and get out of here," Dario declared. The other two officers nodded in agreement.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol blew into her hands as she surveyed the land before her. It was nothing but forest as far as she could see, but she knew a few miles ahead their enemy had decided to stand their ground. She had scouts checking up on them, but she was waiting for the troops from Ro Ryuon to join them. She hoped that they came before the Cersans decided to engage.

The Ro Ryuon soldiers were on their way after finding out that the smaller Cersan fleet landed to march and meet up with their other forces instead of trying to take Ro Ryuon. She knew that her smaller collection of troops would be there long before her group that defended Basilinar.

"What do you want to do?" Pia asked as she came up behind the royal Consort.

"We won't make a move until we know what they're doing. I want to know what they're setting up for," Xol answered.

"Do you think the Basilinar troops will get here in time?"

Xol nodded. "They should. Only the healthy and fit are on the move and they're coming as quickly as they can. I want them to hang back, though."

"A surprise element?"

"Yeah. I don't think the Cersans will expect them quite so soon. Their communications aren't as good as ours. Not to mention, all of the daijinn have been on the lookout for carrier pigeons. Several birds have been caught and the messages intercepted. I think we're doing good for a country that most assumed was dead."

Pia smiled. "I'm glad you think of this as your country."

"It's the land of my mate, therefore it's my land. I am her and she is me," Xol replied with a shrug.

"We're lucky to have both of you. I don't know if many people realize yet how fortunate we are for you and the daijinn, but after this, they will know," Pia declared with pride in her tone.

"It's good for the daijinn to help. It binds them to this nation and it also gives back because for the most part they have just been reaping the rewards of dealing with humans, but there hasn't been much in return beyond goods and some labor. Now, it's more than that. They see and feel that they have a nation worth fighting for."

Pia nodded. "And it is worth fighting for."

"My nation is my tribe and my tribe is my family and my family is my life, therefore my nation is my life. This is how the daijinn will soon see it."

Pia nodded and smiled. "Then we need to make sure that the daijinn get to keep their lives and therefore their nation."

"Which is why we need to figure out how to attack the Cersans and come away from battle victorious. This is their last stand. We need to take even that last piece of hope from them because when this is said and done, I want them gone and I want back the land they took from us the last time they invaded us."

"It's great that you even know Chuachinese history. Let's do just what you said and get these pigs out of here."

Xol nodded and went back to staring. Pia retreated back to the officers' tents, undoubtedly going to plan with the others. Xol was alone for a few minutes before she glanced to her side.

"Little goddess, my forces itch for a chance to prove themselves to me and to you," Ro reported with a grin. "They heard all of the other squads have had their chance, but we're still waiting."

"They'll get their chance and I don't need them to prove anything to me. Them being here is good enough," Xol replied. "So, what do you have?"

"They've laid in to defend from what I could tell. They have pikes and pits and they think they've set up traps, but Kwen is taking care of that."

"The soldiers that are on the way?"

"My unit is sticking close to them, slowing them down and making them nervous, but they'll be here within a few of days. I'd give them about a week. Our human forces should definitely beat them here. We'll have more time to figure out what to do about them," Ro answered.

"I figured as much. What did you think of their approaching forces?"

Ro let out a long breath. "They were bigger than we first thought, even as the smallest group coming our way. If your numbers were right, I'd say they'll double the force that's already dug in. So, they'd still outnumber our whole army, even if the others make it here before the fighting starts."

"We have the advantage, though. We have more intelligence on them and they're surrounded, like it or not. This cliffs that they're hoping will keep us from coming at them at all sides are going to be the thing that let's us pin them," Xol stated.

"They probably want us to try that, though. It'll give their reinforcements a chance to hit us from the side."

Xol shook her head. "I'm sure they think that, but we've got a couple of surprises left for them. For starters, we'll let them think this is a head on battle like they're expecting. I don't want the Ro Ryuon troops moving in until they've shown us their reinforcements. Hopefully, by then the Basilinar group will be here and they'll act as our second surprise."

"What's the first?"

"The fact that we're going to knock the cliff down on top of them," Xol said as if it was simple enough.

"How are we going to do that?"

"They're assembling Assunta's pet project. It fires large bolts and another that fires big rocks. We'll fire the bolts at them and the rocks at the cliff."

Ro nodded. "Why did they put nets over their camp?"

"To escape the liquid fire. They must feel the jars don't impact anything, then they can't shatter and spread the fire everywhere. Of course, we could always just hit the jars in the air."

"Yeah. So, what do you want me to do?"

"Just keep gathering information. The more we have, the better prepared we are."

Ro nodded and practically vanished from sight. Xol sighed and turned her attention back into the darkness. _This is going to be the final battle. I promise_.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana's smile faded as she read the latest reports. Miss Olga and Mei noticed the expression and the paper in the Queen's hand. They glanced at each other, as if seeing who would dare ask.

"Something wrong?" Mei asked. "I mean, how can things be wrong after we just found out that the threat to Basilinar is completely gone."

"The threat to Chuachin remains, though. They just wrote that they think the final battle will happen sometime in the next few days and Xol's been brooding. They don't sound too sure of themselves for once. They're outnumbered and the enemy has had a chance to put up defenses," Ileana informed the pair.

"We haven't even told the people about our major victories yet. What do you want to do?" Miss Olga asked.

"I want to tell them everything right now. I want them to know that we have beaten our enemy into a corner and that they are on their last leg and that we have not lost soldiers for nothing and they are to treat the injured coming in as heroes. I want to have a celebration for the troops that come in and they should be here soon. They left the northern coast a couple of days ago," Ileana explained.

"Then let's prepare for them and to lift the spirits of the people to know that they have heroes out there," Mei proclaimed.

Ileana nodded and they hastily drew together a gathering for the Queen to inform the people what was going on with the war. She went to the Dragon's Square and stood in front of the Great Temple. People gathered without even knowing what was going on, but it was quickly made clear that the Queen had news to share.

"People, I hope that we are all aware of the dire circumstances that our great nation faces from threats outside of our control and outside of our borders. It has been a month since the Cersan forces invaded Chuachin and we have defeated them in many battles that I am sure have been rumored around the city. The most significant blow was dealt to a navy fleet that had been heading directly to us, but has been soundly defeated by our military forces. In fact, we should be receiving the brave souls, both human and daijinn, male and female, that stood in the face of danger so that we might all live freely and that our nation can stand on its own. They are heroes and shall be treated as such.

"While the fighting continues, know that our soldiers are and will do anything that they can to defend us from these invaders. We are sure to be victorious soon enough and be prepared to show everyone your care and support upon their return. Remember that we are a nation and we stand together. We have to remain together, united to survive, and we will survive. We will endure," Ileana announced with pride. The crowd wasted no time cheering loudly.

"I thought you were going to go into more details," Mei whispered to the Queen.

"I thought better of it. Never know where there is a spy, who might somehow send word to the Cersans, even with the city under guard," Ileana replied.

Mei smiled and nodded. "You're good at this being the queen thing."

Ileana only laughed. She then made it a point to go about her business, wanting to be ready when the wounded showed up. As well as when other spoils of war showed up. She was quite glad that the Cersan military officers were indulgent and traveled with a great deal of unnecessary treasures; many of those would do nicely in rewarding her own troops and officers. It would also help the Chuachinese economy get back on track considering the amount of gold being reported back to her.

-8-8-8-8-

"You ready for this?" Leon asked Xol with a smile on his face.

"I think we all are," Xol replied, staring forward, focused on their goal.

"You sure it's safe for you to charge in first?" Pia asked.

"I'm not really charging in, am I? Just make sure everyone is behind me as soon as I break through. Their defenses shouldn't hold against me and our bolts. Just make sure to keep hitting the cliff once we get started. I want them clearing that area, messing up whatever they have in store. How close is Yu?"

"He says he should be here in less than a half hour. Dario and the others are not far behind. We will have the final surprise in this battle."

Xol nodded. They had days to plan, but now it was time to put the plan into action. Despite the fact that they had already gone into battle several times, there was still that expected nervous energy amongst the troops. Xol, herself, showed something that the officers tried to mimic – a calm focus that made it seem like she was both an unmovable object and an unstoppable force. They were actually going to put the latter half to the test to start the battle.

They had their heavy artillery loaded and ready. Everyone was in position, everyone except for Xol anyway. She was glad that she had already sent all of the daijinn away because Kwen and Ro would have blown their tops if they knew what she had planned. While her other officers were worried, they deferred to her wishes and Xol was loaded into one of the large bolt launchers.

"I hope I burn as brightly as I feel. They'll never see this coming," Xol muttered to herself.

Of course, if things went wrong, she would not see her end coming either. But, she laid down on the bolt launcher and ignited her hands before it even fired her. Concentrating, Xol pressed her arms to burn as much as they could and she felt like something snapped inside of her. Her eyes shined and she felt like she had changed in an instant. Flames engulfed the small daijinn, covering her whole petite form. By the time she crossed the defenses of their enemies, blazing straight through blockades, wooden pikes, and lines, she was nothing more than an orange-yellow glow with bits of blue flaring in.

Unfortunately, Xol did not come equipped with brakes and only came to a stop once she dipped so low that she hit the ground. Her contact with the earth caused an explosion and Cersan troops went flying through the air and confusion came along with her. By the time that they figured out it was an enemy, Xol was on her feet, still glowing like a living candle.

The fiery daijinn did not worry about the soldiers surrounding her and aimed her fire in the air, shattering the Chuachinese projectiles. Her army was flinging jugs of liquid fire overhead and it was her job to hit as many as she could, so those Cersan nets ended up meaningless.

The Cersans' formations broke apart because of the fire and then they had to contend with fast-moving, pointed bolts being shot into their lines. The Cersans actually began to panic as they tried to regroup from the unexpected onslaught. They did not notice the large hole in their defenses. The Chuachinese army stormed in once they were out of liquid fire. The surprise charge caused the Cersans to retreat slightly until they felt the rocks from the nearby cliffs raining down over them. The Chuachinese were now firing boulders from giant slings at what was supposed to be the Cersans natural defense.

Soon the familiar smells and sounds of war took over the battlefield. Xol was not sure how much time had gone by, but she was not shocked to see the other half of the Cersan army coming toward them, but not quite making it. She suspected it had to be almost an hour because Ro's unit came from one direction to stop the reinforcements, but Yu's squad also came in from the other side to help the daijinn. Completing the hit, the Ro Ryuon units slammed the enemy from the back and soon the Cersan reinforcements were swallowed by the Chuachinese troops.

When the Basilinar troops showed up, Xol felt herself reinvigorated, even as everything inside her pulled as if strained. She reached down, reminded herself what this was all for: nation, tribe, family, and her mate. She would not burn out until she was dead if she could protect those things. Taking a deep breath, Xol released it in a roar and flames actually escaped her mouth. Surrounding soldiers, friends and foes, thought that they were either in the presence of something divine or something beyond sinister.

As the sun began to set, it was clear who had won the battle. The Chuachin soldiers were now just hunting down anyone trying to escape. Xol was breathing so hard that her breath was visible and her body was shaking; it was like she was cold and shivering. Her body collapsed into the wet dirt when she was certain it was safe to do so.

-8-8-8-8-

"They won!" Ileana breathed out the happy declaration as her eyes fell to the parchment that had not left her side for the whole month. She then leaped to her feet. "They won!" she screamed it that time for anyone to hear, which was a lot of people considering the fact that they were sitting at dinner.

"I think you mean, _we_ won, boss," Mei remarked with a laugh.

Ileana grinned. "We did win. We all won. A toast," she proposed, reaching down for a goblet of wine. She raised it for all to see. "To our brave soldiers and to our brave country."

"Here, here!"

Wine was raised and then downed. Out of the corner of her eye, Ileana could see her uncles glaring at her. Her two uncles. One would be absent for the rest of his life and she made sure his brothers knew why and that it was her decision. She now awaited their next move.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol awoke to the sight of the tent ceiling and the smell of rationed soup. Turning over, she was not surprised to see Ro sitting next to her while Kwen stood in the entrance. Moments after regaining consciousness, Xol felt a spoon put to her lips and wasted no time taking the food in.

"You push yourself too hard, little goddess," Ro gently chided her.

"The boss'll kill us if we bring you back damaged! Don't you get that?" Kwen barked and then he snorted.

"I'm not damaged. Just tired. Ileana knows I tire out easily after using the solar tears for an extended time," Xol pointed out.

"Does she know you can actually set your whole body on fire now?" he inquired.

"How could she? I didn't even know I could do it until I tried it," Xol answered.

"Dammit, chief! You can't just go diving into fucking enemy territory not knowing what the hell you can do! What the fuck? How the hell are we supposed to protect you if you're doing these crazy ass things?" Kwen demanded, keeping his distance.

Xol arched an eyebrow. "At what point did we agree that you were supposed to protect me? I was here to win a battle and to keep our enemies from ever thinking of invading us again. I am here to protect you, our tribe, our nation. That's my purpose. That's why I have this blessing."

"That's bullshit! You're our leader. What the hell are we supposed to do if something happens to you?"

"Follow my mate as you would follow me," she answered the obvious.

Kwen frowned, but he could not argue that and knew better than to try. Xol turned her attention back to the food, taking the bowl from Ro because she was well aware that her wife would not be pleased to find out that a former lover had spoon-fed her. Ro was kind enough to pass her some water, too.

"So, how are things going?" Xol asked.

"Yu's getting the daijinn patched up and collecting the dead. The other officers are taking care of our wounded, dead, and prisoners. Lots of prisoners. Dario was saying something about ransoming them," Kwen chuckled.

Xol nodded. "Ransom who we can if we can. We need to start talking treaty unless they want to keep on fighting. Does Ileana have the details?"

"Pia wrote her," Ro reported.

"Detailed?"

"Pia practically wrote what happened word for word. By the time she was done, I only had time to get your food and sit down before you woke up," Ro informed her.

"How long have I been out?" Xol asked curiously.

Kwen shrugged. "Hours, like twelve."

"That explains why I'm so hungry," she muttered and then practically inhaled the soup. Thankfully, it was thick and hearty, almost like a stew. "Well, I'm up and alive, so we all need to go do something."

Ro and Kwen nodded, waiting for that order. They exited the tent and split up. Xol had to go for more food and then decided to get word to Ileana. She let Pia write it and Ileana answered almost instantly, sending a simple "leave the rest to me." Xol smiled; she knew that Ileana would be good at resolving the matter, so she would just clean up and leave the rest to her mate.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol and Ileana have to deal with Cersa seemingly not knowing when they're beat.


	24. 23: New Era

23: New Era

Xol and the rest of the Chuachin army returned to Basilinar to a hero's welcome. There was a parade for them as they marched into the city with women throwing flowers while clergy waved holy incenses and children rang bells. The city itself seemed alive with joy, pulsing with excitement, and every soldier was given something between the entrance gate and the march through the city to palace where the Queen met them.

Ileana smiled as she noted her beloved mounted on a horse, but riding with Amedeo. As soon as she could, Xol was off of the steed and in Ileana's arms. Ileana's smile instantly became a grin as she hugged her wife.

"I knew you could do it," Ileana whispered, sneaking a small kiss to her beloved's lips.

"I'd never let you or our country down," Xol vowed.

Ileana nodded and then turned her attention to the returning army. "My good people, I am beyond honored to receive you and have you as not only guests in our capital, but in my home. I have a feast prepared in your honor. After that, I would love nothing more than for you to stay in the palace before returning to your families and friends. Please, remember that even though we have won this war and it was a huge accomplishment that we as a nation still have a long way to go, but for now let's rejoice and honor those who could not be here with us."

There were cheers as no one expected the Queen to be so generous. Ileana made sure there was enough food and entertainment to keep the soldiers occupied for a few days, but eventually she curtailed those items just to encourage the troops to return home or at least venture out into the city. After all, she and her executive committee, as she had taken to calling her group, had work to do.

The troops were grateful for the wonderful treatment, but took the hint and gradually left the palace after three to four days. Before a week was up, only the top officers remained. They met with the Queen and her Consort to go through what they should demand in the peace talks. They were expecting ambassadors from Cersa within a week and wanted to have a clear vision.

Ileana had left her mother, Miss Olga, and Viktor with the task of handling the soldiers that remained behind, looking for work and lodgings. They were also in charge of getting in touch with other towns and cities about the returning warriors. Lastly, they had to make sure each soldier was compensated for their work as well as each family compensated for any members lost to the war.

In between all of that, they had to store all of the loot that they brought back from the battles. Xol was very interested in it and Ileana was curious why. She did not have to wait long to find out.

"Beloved, what do you have behind your back?" Ileana asked with a small smile as Xol entered their bedroom.

"A little present from the surrendering general of the Cersan troops. He gave me a symbol of the armistice we agreed to at the end of the last battle," Xol replied with her own smile. She stood before her wife. "And I'm giving it to you."

Hazel eyes blinked in surprise. "Give me the symbol of your victory?"

Xol nodded and presented her mate with two new swords. Ileana accepted with a grin and inspected their symbol of victory. The twin blades were buried in golden scabbards with gems running up and down the length of them. The jewels all ended up making the same wolf's head design; the sign of the Cersan royal family. The handles were made of obsidian and the blades were pure silver.

"Amazing," Ileana whispered.

"But, they don't match the sight before me," Xol commented with a grin.

"Flatterer."

"Well, they don't match the sight before me kissing me even more."

Ileana could not help laughing as she fulfilled her wife's not-so-subtle wish. Once she pulled away, Ileana moved to secure the swords. Xol made herself useful by pulling back the curtain to their bed. She crawled in and Ileana immediately followed.

"What do you think of what everyone wants out of this peace treaty?" Xol asked curiously as Ileana settled against her as usual. The one thing she missed most while at war was being able to feel Ileana pressed against her and sleeping soundly, showing that she trusted Xol to protect her from anything and that was why she could be at such peace. She had reveled in that seemingly small thing every night since returning home.

"I think we can get all of that and more. Cersa bet all they had on this war, thinking they would wipe us out. Bad gamble," Ileana replied.

"I'd never bet against you," Xol chuckled.

"Funny, as you are the one that always wins. Beloved, I wonder if you even know how huge this was. Do you realize what you have done for this country?" Ileana inquired with a scrunched up face.

Xol shook her head. "I just know we stopped an invasion and kept this country ours."

Ileana smiled and kissed her wife. "How can you actually still be naïve? You have cemented our rule, first of all. It would take a major screw up on our part for the people to want to take away our royal status. If anyone on the Council even suggested it, they would be forced to resign their post."

"You're kidding?"

"It gets better, my love. This war brought the humans and daijinn together, but it also made the humans much more accepting of the daijinn. Whenever they came into the city from their village, everyone acted as if it was a normal thing. People left behind helped replace any workers that the daijinn village lost as soldiers. They shared food and stories and so easily because countrymen. I am certain that the soldiers returning will only strengthen the bond as they fought in the war together. Your victory truly made us a nation."

Xol was rightfully speechless. She knew that soldiers bonded during wartimes, but it did not occur to her that the civilians would do the same. But, the war united them all with a common cause, common concern, and a common enemy. She just hoped that held true now that the war was over.

"I wish we could have done that without having to bury so many people," Xol muttered.

Ileana shook her head. "You had no say in that. Cersa brought this war to us. They brought this problem. You solved it, though. You are so wonderful."

"Maybe somebody wonderful should get a kiss then."

Ileana laughed. "You would think you are starved for affection, beloved."

"Being away from you while fighting was too much. I don't like being away from you."

"The feeling is quite mutual. Well, while we have the time, we should give each other what we want. After all, we are going to be busy again come sunrise. It will only get worse when the ambassador shows up." Xol nodded and there was no more talking that night.

-8-8-8-8-

By the time the ambassador arrived, Ileana thought that Basilinar would be done celebrating the country's war victory. She was quite wrong and the Cersan ambassador as well as his rather large entourage entered the city to basically an on-going festival. The city was alive and well, beaming with festivities, and Ileana did nothing to discourage the party. She liked that the Cersans were reminded that they were defeated quite soundly.

She had the ambassador and his people brought to the throne room while she was dressed in her best robes and wearing the rather impressive Chuachinese crown jewels, including an ornate crown designed to look like a dragon's head. Xol was also dressed to the nines and doing her best not to fidget in her seat; she was just thankful that she did not have to wear more earrings beyond the single one that represented her bond to Ileana and the one that showed that she was the daijinn chief. The couple made sure to look as regal and powerful as possible, not paying the ambassador any mind until he was directly in front of them.

"The Ambassador Adan of Bergaiani," a servant announced.

Ileana put on a pleasant smile as she looked up at the man. He looked like what she expected. He was a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard and a haughty glint in his dark brown eyes. He dressed to impress from what she could tell, unless, of course, Cersa was so successful that even low ranking ambassadors could afford to casually wear the fittest eastern silks and custom made shoes from the best southern leather. He could not afford to dress his party quite as smartly.

"Ambassador Adan, it is a pleasure to meet you," Ileana said graciously without bothering to leave her throne.

"The pleasure is all mine, Highness," the ambassador replied and he bowed slightly.

"Speaking of pleasure, have you had the pleasure of meeting the Royal Consort and Commander-in-chief of the Chuachinese armed forces, Xol Bakunarius?" Ileana asked while motioning to her mate. Of course, she knew the ambassador had never met her wife, but she just wanted him to be aware of Xol before he said or did something to ruin any chance they had at peace talks, even though she wanted peace as badly as Cersa. She just knew not to show it.

Adan turned to Xol and blinked several times before it occurred to him to bow. "Your Highness."

Xol was about to object, but Ileana held up her hand to signal her mate stop. Xol shifted in her seat, but did not say anything. She was not used to dealing with people considered beneath her based on her position as far as negotiating peace talks anyway. She was used to sitting with equals and being on the first name basis with them. She supposed she would let her spouse show her how it was done.

Ileana worked seamlessly, moving from the introductions to getting the ambassador alone in one of their offices to discuss a treaty. It was almost as if Adan did not realize what happened because he was looking around curiously as they sat at the low table. Ileana had his entourage outside and called in Yu to take notes for the ambassador. Mei volunteered to take notes for the royal couple, if only to see the carnage that they all knew Ileana was about to bring.

"His Majesty, King Francisco, has authorized me to offer these terms," Adan said while pulling a scroll out of his heavy satchel. He slid it across the table, but Ileana refused to touch it. Xol did the same. Clearing his throat, Adan pulled the parchment back and unrolled it himself. He barely made it through half of it before Xol was actually laughing. His face flushed a deep crimson.

"Seriously? Seriously? You have the nerve to invade us and now you're going to sit there and tell us that you want everything to go back to the way it was two months ago? Like you didn't invade us?" Xol asked incredulously. Mei and Yu could not help snickering and Mei did not have the good graces to hide it like Yu did.

Adan growled. "Excuse me, these terms are quite adequate. Yes, you drove our forces out of the country, but you can go no further than you have," he pointed out.

Xol smirked, showing off her pointed canines. Yu and Mei fought off smiles of their own, trying to show some control after laughing. Just when they thought Ileana would be leading the dance, their chief stepped in to show that she knew a thing or two also. Either way, the ambassador was in for a thorough life lesson in dealing with the most capable couple Yu and Mei had ever seen.

"Even if you do have something that looks like an army left, we have just as many troops and could definitely get more now that everyone sees we can handle you. If you want us to put together an even larger army and more advanced weapons, it can be done. We could be at your capital in roughly three months," Xol promised him quite calmly.

"Perhaps we will even consider letting whoever would like to ravage your king since he seemed to so intent on doing that with my mother and brother," Ileana added.

"No, I think I would have to rip his head off. The very idea that he would say something like that about you is enough for me to destroy him, but the fact that he added two of your family members and my favorite humans makes it so much worse. I'd probably tear his chest open," Xol said, holding up her claws and admiring them.

Ileana nodded. "Well, he does have family we could always do it to."

"Then it can happen," Xol stated. They glanced casually at each other for a brief moment and then focused on the ambassador, who seemed to shrink somewhat.

"Well, it has been decided," Ileana announced and she smiled at Adan. "I am sorry you traveled all of this way for nothing."

"Wait, you cannot be serious. Do you even know what you are doing?" the ambassador tried to seem like he was making a demand, but his voice was quivering.

"Yes, but I wonder if you know what you are doing. We are not two children sitting here to cower in the adults' wake. You invaded our country and only retreated after having your forces completely annihilated. We have almost all of your officers in our dungeons or buried out in the forest. Now, you will either take this seriously or we could always go with the suggestion made by my beloved," the Queen proposed.

Adan's jaw tensed and glared at the royal couple. "I have another proposal …" he offered, but the Queen shook her head.

"Give us the final proposal that you can make and we will go from there," Ileana ordered.

Adan frowned; he did not even try to hide the expression. He went into his bag again and then pulled out a scroll with the official Cersan royal seal on it. He unrolled the paper, breaking the seal, and he read what was said with Yu reading over his shoulder.

"He skipped pieces," Yu informed the royal couple as soon as the ambassador was done.

Adan's mouth dropped open and Ileana smiled while shaking her head. "Yes, he reads and speaks quite well. It is your bad luck that Cersan and Chuachinese have almost the same exact language," the Queen commented.

Adan could only nod, showing that he at least understood that she was talking to him. She was sure he would keep in mind that Yu was a very intelligent fellow and he would not try to con them anymore, but it was too late. She was now going to push for every single thing and beyond that she and her people agreed on, especially since Xol had already supported her by putting it out there that they could raise an even better army now that they had victories under their belts.

As Ileana went into what they wanted and why they would get it, Adan began to sweat. The Queen had to hide her smirk. She would show Cersa that they meant business. She could not believe that King Francisco would actually send some second-rate delegate to handle her and her spouse. Obviously, they were not respected, but she knew that would change.

She started off with an issue that made sense: money. Chuachin would need money to fix up things ruined by the invasion. Of course, she did not go with the initial figure, but well over triple that. It was not about negotiating him down now. It was about punishing the audacity of the Cersan king.

Second, she demanded that Cersa return the land that they conquered from Chuachin ten years ago. Xol grinned at that, showing off her sharp teeth again. The mere sight made Adan tremble.

The last main issue that Ileana wanted was trade markets in Cersa opened to Chuachin merchants. She knew that the markets in Cersa would help the Chuachin economy. She demanded an extremely low tariff on Chuachinese goods. She left him to ponder those requests for the day and send out the messages that he needed to send.

"Boss, it's always a pleasure to watch you work," Mei chuckled as they all went to have dinner.

"Oh, I have only just begun. This is a new era for Chuachin and our neighbors better get used to it. We will no longer be walked over or stand by idly as they eat away our borders. In fact, once we get our northern territory back, beloved, I want at least two forts built by our border with Cersa, just to remind them that we can fight as well as they can now," Ileana said.

"Actually, we fight a lot better than they do," Xol boasted.

Yu nodded. "She's right. A whole lot better."

"We'll put two forts and at least one daijinn village up there. They'll remember our army and they'll remember that this is a nation of not just scrappy humans, but dedicated daijinn, too," Xol said.

"Good. I want them to remember the short war where their forces were completely annihilated by ours and they will be long to consider trying us again," Ileana replied.

Xol nodded and her mind was already running through where they would put the forts and the daijinn village as well the setups of all three places. She also considered what they would do with the forts. If they would only train soldiers there on a daily basis and then once training was done, send them off into the real world or if they would keep a standing army. She would work out the details before presenting anything to her mate.

At dinner, Ileana had the military officers seated near each other, so that she could brief them on negotiations. Of course, all of the commanders and other officers had things to add in. Dario seemed especially tickled by the Queen and had a million little things that he wanted her to add into the treaty now that they knew she was just going to walk all over the poor ambassador.

"I somehow doubt that King Francisco will accept the idea of sending us a thousand monkeys dressed in silks carrying figs," Ileana laughed.

"Why would you want monkeys carrying your food anyway? How unhealthy is that?" Assunata pointed out to the supposedly genius teenager.

Dario smiled. "Who says I want to eat the figs? I just want to see the king of Cersa make my crazy demand happen before we set fire to his castle."

"Now, you're getting ahead of us," Xol said.

"What? You have no plans to walk up to his palace and with your own two hands, burn his kingdom to the ground?" Dario teased slightly.

Ileana arched an eyebrow to that. "Beloved, two hands?" she asked.

"I thought someone else would have reported to you that I can pretty much set my whole body aflame now with the solar tears," Xol informed her spouse as if it were no big deal.

The Queen shook her head. "I thought the reports were exaggerated."

"Nope. Whole body. You know the marks all over me now. Hell, they're all over you," the smaller female pointed out.

"They have not yet spread to where I can see mine," Ileana pointed out.

"No? I thought you knew," Xol said. She had not made it a point to say anything about her mate's goddess marks, which had conquered all of her back, the underside of her biceps, and down her thighs. Now that she thought about it, she supposed that the only place Ileana would have noticed were her arms and it probably never occurred to her to look at her biceps whenever the chance presented itself.

Ileana shook her head, but let the discussion of their marks drop. It seemed like an inappropriate conversation to have around others. Their tattoos always seemed intimate to her. Private areas not to be shared with other living souls beyond what was considered normal, so yes, they showed them at the wedding just to prove they had them and, yes, servants saw them when they bathed the royal couple and dressed them, but nothing beyond that. Certainly not something to have a talk about in front of a hall of people.

"You know, Chuachin is lucky to have both of you," Amedeo decided to point out. "God came through when you showed up."

The military officers decided to drink to that. Ileana smiled while Xol took a drink with her officers. After that, the royal couple made it a point to go eat with their family. There, they let Viktor, Lucia, and Fry do all of the talking, finding out about the social projects that they had going.

Thankfully, the daijinn village of Xol was complete and the daijinn had taken to it like fish to water. The roads were still being built and best of all Assunta, showing that she was more than a military engineer, had signed on to design bridges wherever necessary ahead of the road system, so they did not end up with a bunch of winding roads all over the country. They also already had a lot of soldiers coming in for work on building the roads and repairing buildings. Lucia was also gathering workers from the soldiers to clear more farmland and help build more farming communities. The country would be remaining busy, busy, busy so it would seem, which made Ileana smile.

After dinner, Ileana and Xol peeked in on their "favorite" ambassador. He was talking things over with his entourage; many of whom were as animated as he was as they paced and flailed over the first three conditions of the treaty. Ileana made sure a servant knew to bring food to the group and then she retired for the night with her spouse.

"Now, let us take a better look at these marks that now allow you to ignite your entire body," Ileana commented as they settled onto their bed.

Xol, as usual, was wearing nothing at all. The goddess marks wrapped around her entire torso, hugging her chest and belly while clinging to her shoulders and back. They ran up and down both arms and her right leg. Her left leg was only halfway down with the marks stopping near her knee. They also crept up her neck, but could still be covered for the most part by proper clothing.

"I hope they do not extend to your lovely face, beloved," Ileana whispered as she gently dragged her fingers across the marks on Xol's shoulders.

"Perhaps the goddess will be merciful and grant that wish. I don't think I want them on my face either. I'd look like some kind of wild girl," Xol said with an amused smile.

"I would love you just the same," Ileana commented and gave her wife a sweet peck on the lips.

"I know you would. Do you want to know about your marks? They seem to be staying in places that you can easily cover and no one would know they're there," Xol said, fingers already tracing the tattoos on her mate's back.

"No, just tell me when they do go some place visible. Are they winding around to my front yet?"

Xol first had to get her wife out of her nightgown, which was not hard since her hands were already buried in the thing. Flinging what she thought was useless sleeping material out of the way, Xol leaned in for a careful examination of her spouse's body, even though she knew what the marks looked like already. She always paid close attention to the tattoos on Ileana's body; they not only fascinated her like every other part of Ileana, but she wanted to make sure that they were always properly covered by clothing, so she needed to know where they were. Just as Ileana thought that the goddess marks were too intimate to talk about in front of company, Xol thought Ileana's marks were too intimate for others to see without very specific reasons.

"They remain on your back and stop here." Xol gently, but suggestively caressed the backs of Ileana's thighs. She then slowly dragged her hands up Ileana's body to her arms and stroked Ileana's biceps. "Then they stop here. Nothing shows in the front, but I think they plan to wrap around here." Her hands crawled across Ileana's midsection.

Ileana was shivering in delight by that point, not very much thinking about her marks. Her focus was much more on her beloved's hands and fingertips. And even those shot out of her mind for a brief moment when warm lips wrapped around her distended nipple. She moaned loudly.

"Inspection over?" Ileana managed to ask.

"Oh, no. It's just getting started," Xol replied before going right back to one of her favorite spots on her mate's body. Ileana did not try to stop her.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana and Xol were sitting with Ambassador Adan again. Now, they wanted to go over minor details to add to the treaty. Yu and Mei were there again as official note-takers. Adan was grateful to be alone from what Ileana could tell in his body language. He probably did not want anyone with him to see how the rulers of Chuachin had kindly walked all over him.

"I have sent word to his Majesty about your requests in the peace treaty," Adan informed them.

Ileana craned an eyebrow. "But, I thought as the ambassador on this trip, you had final say."

Adan cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I do, but I can only have final say with what his royal majesty authorized and none of what you ask for was authorized."

Ileana nodded and smiled a bit. Adan was probably out of a job and would be lucky to go back to Cersa with dignity by the end of this. Still, she did not feel much sympathy for him. After all, he thought that he was going to come into their country, into their home, and sit in their presence and play them like puppets at the command of the Cersan "great" king.

"Well, if that's the case, you should've just told the king to come himself since everything else we have to say isn't on that list either," Xol pointed out. "You're really just wasting our time by playing messenger."

Adan's face turned a dark red, almost maroon. "I am not a messenger. I am one of his royal majesty's most trusted ambassadors."

"Yet you're useless here," Xol stated.

"I will not sit here and be insulted by a dog who is not worthy to lick my boots!" Adan shouted and shot up from his seat. As soon as he was standing, the blood must have returned to his brain and his eyes widened as he realized what he said.

"Yu, show the ambassador and his party out. Send word to King Francisco that his peace talks have failed and we are no longer in a giving mood," Ileana said, brushing Adan away with a flick of her wrist.

"Wait, you cannot do this!"

"It is done. Farewell."

Yu wasted no time grabbing the ambassador and dragging him out of the room. Ileana put her arms around Xol, as if protecting her from the barbed insults that had past. She then turned her attention to Mei.

"Message to the king, on it," Mei said, holding up her notepad. "Anything specific to tell him?"

"I want it understood that we will not go to him and that he needs to take this seriously or the consequences will be severe," Ileana stated.

Mei smiled and nodded before rushing off to go pen her missive. Ileana smiled and Xol laughed a bit. Ileana's smile vanished as her brow furrowed and she turned her attention to her spouse.

"What is so funny?" the Queen asked curiously.

"You enjoy it when you get to flex on people like Adan, and the king of Cersa," Xol pointed out.

"I might, a little. I dislike it when people act so high and mighty toward others. He and King Francisco think that even though they lost this war, they are still better than we are. I refuse to accept that. We deserve and demand respect and we will get it. I always feel this way when people treat you, us, like this. You are not beneath him because he is human or an ambassador or anything. And while we might not be above him, we are the ones with the power right now and we will use it as best we can. Hopefully, we use it wisely."

Xol laughed again. It certainly amused her to see her mate with complete control and almost absolute power. While Ileana was not likely abuse it or purposely hurt anyone, she definitely liked bending those to her will when she could. Xol knew was an inheritance from her father, a man that she shared so many things in common with that neither could stand the other. Of course, Ileana knew when to stop and when enough was enough while Vladimir did seemed to get a certain amount of glee from any and all overkill that he could inflict. Xol then shook her head and put those ideas out of her mind. _Ileana is better than Vladimir could ever hope to be in every way possible_.

-8-8-8-8-

The king of Cersa needed to save face, but also could not be seen completely kowtowing to Chuachin's new ruler and her unlikely Consort. So, instead of coming on his own as Ileana had requested, he sent another ambassador. One with more leeway and seemingly much more open-minded. In the end, it did not matter by much. Cersa could not afford another war, not so soon after losing so many men to the Chuachinese military.

So, the Treaty of Basilinar was signed to end what they would later call the Thirty Day war, even though it was much longer than that. Chuachin was given back the territory that they had lost ten years ago to Cersa. They were awarded reparations for the damages; it was not as much as Ileana had first asked for, but she knew that was the case. They received more money than they needed for damages, much more. The request for low tariffs and markets for trade and Cersa were also granted. In the end, Cersa and many other nations understood that Chuachin's rulers were not playing games. It was certainly a new era.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: they speak of the Devil and he will appear. Well, Xol only thought about Vladimir for a moment, but he's back.


	25. Chapter 25

24: Reloaded

After the Thirty Day war, life in Chuachin got back to normal. Busy and normal. Roads were being built, bridges were being designed, forts were being put up in the north, farmland was being cleared, businesses were being opened, goods were being shipped, and professionals were teaching apprentices. And, of course, the palace was the busiest place of all.

"What is this?" Ileana inquired as Yu dropped a stack of papers on her desk.

"Those are citizenship applications. We have about fifty new daijinn that just entered Xol, the village, not the boss," he answered with an amused smile. It was now a funny joke amongst the daijinn to distinguish between her Consort and the village named for her.

"Fifty? Impressive. Are they more from your former tribe?" she asked, flipping through the applications.

"Not that many. About five or six of them, I think. It's not that many. There were over twenty, though, that used to be slaves for your father," he informed her.

Ileana groaned. "My father. There is a man I would like to pretend does not exist. I am happy that we can do something for his slaves, except Xol is pretty much full to capacity, correct?"

"It is beyond a village at this point and we might as well consider it a town and it is full to the point that we want to leave space for children and such. What do you want to do?"

"The new town to the north. Place them there. It needs people, anyway. The soldiers going up there will help them assimilate to our culture," Ileana replied.

"Our culture? We have a culture?" he asked with a skeptical look on his face.

"Of course we do. We have a very unique culture of tolerance, inclusion, and equality. I want the daijinn to understand that they will never have to worry about being less than equal here. You know that and I want them to know that, especially the ones that were once my father's slaves."

Yu nodded. "You're right as always, boss."

"Anything else? I cannot believe you would waste a trip that you definitely could have sent someone else on. I am sure Rai would have enjoyed the excuse to come see me," Ileana remarked.

"Oh, he was foaming at the mouth to come with me. He swore he had a million and one things to tell you and the chief."

"Does he not know Xol is out for the day?" she asked.

"Nah, he doesn't know. The chief really comes and goes as she pleases, always has. You're the only one who knows where she is every second of the day."

"I better," she stated with a scoff.

Yu smiled. "Yeah, the chief knows that, which is why you do know where she is. For the rest of us, though, we just try to keep up, which is sort of what we do with you, too. You just move around less. What's she doing, anyway? She didn't take Mei with her."

Ileana shook her head. "No, she did not. You can tell the difference in the messages, huh?" she asked, even though she knew. She had been encouraging Xol to write her own notes, even when she was using the special message parchment to have instant communication for the rest of them.

"Have you tried to read her messages? I swear it's another language. We need to work on that if she's going to keep writing on her own."

Ileana nodded in agreement. "I have squinted at and rotated enough of her notes to know she needs more practice, which is what all of this is. Give her time. None of us were born writing perfectly well. She is only writing to us and it is good practice for her. I will not stand for her not being able to read or write."

"It makes sense. She needs to do some things on her own and she needs to stop running from them. I'm glad you force her to do that. But, as for what else I came here for, can the daijinn borrow a few scribes? We have a deep oral tradition, but sometimes this allows for things to get lost. I want to record our knowledge in books and have a library in Xol, the town, not the boss."

"Of course. Take some scribes. Do any of the daijinn here have a written language or will you be doing it in a human language?" Ileana asked.

"For now, it will have to be a human language because we don't have a written language. Mei and Ro have been arguing for it amongst the daijinn assembly of chiefs that was put together."

"How is the assembly of chiefs working out?" Ileana asked curiously. The daijinn had put together a council of their tribal leaders to unify the daijinn of the country. Those leaders were also the representatives of the daijinn communities in the country's Council.

"Good so far. They all kinda follow the chief, though. I mean, they all even call her Chief Xol. She's pretty much the Chief," he answered.

"Good considering she is their ruler, anyway. Why the sudden acceptance?"

"War stories." He shrugged.

She nodded because she understood. Xol was a living legend thanks to the war, not just the victory, but also because they knew her goddess marks were real and allowed her to control fire. Even the humans, who were not too aware of what the goddess marks were, considered Xol something magnificent. Of course, some also thought that she was a demon.

"The daijinn and the chiefs know that she can make the solar tears, even though they haven't seen her do it. The soldiers saw and that's enough. So, they're impressed and awestruck," he explained.

"So, they are mostly compliant with her?"

"They are. They don't want to test her to see if the stories are true and she just might be the goddess in the flesh. Of course, Mei doesn't help insisting that Xol is the goddess' chosen one and holy vessel on the planet and just about any other wild thing that comes to mind. Anyway, they have a list of suggestions that they want permission for and since I don't know where the little goddess is, I figured I'd bring them to you. It's on the bottom of the applications."

Ileana nodded. "Anything else?"

"I figured I'd update you on the condition of Xol, just so you could have good news in the middle of all of your work. The village is doing great. Booming population since other daijinn have been coming in. There's more daijinn in Xol than in any tribe around the country. Their community farm is doing well, the businesses are going good, and everyone has a sturdy, warm home to go to at the end of the day. Everyone seems very happy with the setup. It's a good blend of a human town and a daijinn tribal camp. I think, if nothing else, Xol will show the daijinn just what the country has to offer and get many of them to settle in other villages just like it," he reported.

Ileana smiled. "Thanks. I am happy to hear that. I want this country to work for everyone in it, not just the humans."

"It's working so far, boss. You're doing a great job. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Ileana laughed and Yu took his leave. There were very few people that dared to suggest that she and Xol were doing anything less than stellar. Most people did think that her mate was divine thanks to all of the war stories and almost every project she put into place was doing well beyond expectation. There was a feel around the country that everything was finally going to be all right and Lucia said that things had not seemed like that in her lifetime.

Still, there were some critics. Her uncles still made some noise, even after she sent Massimo away to be exiled on a very tiny island because of his betrayal. There were a handful of Councilmen who grumbled, mostly about daijinn being included in the Council now. There were also another handful of Councilmen that still sided with her uncles. And, of course, there were people that were not pleased with Ileana's relationship with Xol, both as two women and as a human and a daijinn. She and Xol did not pay any of them any mind, though.

"We have other things to worry about," Ileana muttered and her eyes drifted to a letter that had arrived away few days ago. She had put off opening it as it was from her father, but the mention of his former slaves in her land had her mind back to him and thus back to his letter. "I should just open it," she ordered herself.

She shook her head as if she disagreed. She did not want to open the letter while she was alone, so she would wait. Xol returned a few hours later to find Ileana still at her desk and her eyes occasionally wandering to the letter from her father.

"My love," Ileana said with a smile.

"Hey," Xol replied as she rushed over to the desk to properly greet her mate.

"How goes all of our overly ambitious projects?" Ileana asked with a smile once they were finished indulging in several deep kisses.

"You mean the one where you force me to write? It goes horrible, but you know that as you've gotten my messages through the day," Xol remarked with an adorable pout. Ileana could not help laughing.

"Aw, my poor, precious rose. Come here," Ileana requested with open arms. Xol cuddled into her mate despite the fact that she knew she was being patronized.

"I don't like writing," Xol grumbled.

"You have to practice at it, beloved. You need to be able to write and read. You cannot drag Mei and Yu around with you for your whole life. They have things to do, also. We are all part of something much larger than we have ever been. They are more than just our assistants now," Ileana pointed out in a gentle tone.

Xol frowned. "I know. They have very important jobs. I have to get used to not being able to just wave something at them and have them take care of it."

"Yes, you do," Ileana stated. "I wish you had said something about your reading and writing. I could have helped you with it before we got to this point."

"I didn't want you to know," Xol deadpanned. And, even though Ileana did not snitch, Xol had a good idea as to who spilled the beans.

"Why? I do not think any less of you. I just would have made sure we worked on it, so that you could, like we are doing now."

"It's … it's a weakness. I don't want you to think I'm weak."

"I do not! You are the strongest person I know, both physically and emotionally. Despite all you have been through, you are still here, still standing, and actually leading people into better lives. You are beyond special, beloved, and I would never think anything less of you no matter what," Ileana proclaimed.

Xol nodded and sighed. Golden eyes wandered Ileana's desk and noticed the letter tucked off in the corner. Thanks to the practice – torture as she looked at it – of reading things for herself, she could see the letters on the dark seal spelled out Ileana's former surname and had a flower outline in the middle.

"What's that?" Xol nodded toward the envelope. "Why does it say Fluerizan on it?"

Ileana sighed now and turned her attention to the accursed letter. "A message from my father."

Xol stiffened at the mention of her mate's father. "Have you opened it?" she asked in a growl.

"Not yet, but I was going to as soon as you showed up."

"Then open it. Let's find out what he wants, so we can turn him down," the shorter female suggested.

Ileana chuckled as she reached for the envelope. She then moved over a little, so that Xol could sit with her. She broke the seal and opened the letter. She held it so that they could read together, refusing to read aloud anymore, so that Xol could practice her reading.

"What's this word?" Xo asked, pointing down on the paper.

"Reprehensible," Ileana replied.

"In Chuachinese or Fluerizan?"

"Fluerizan."

Xol frowned. "I'm not sure which is harder to read."

"You will get the hang of both of them. Do not worry, beloved. You are supremely intelligent."

The shorter woman did not reply and went back to reading. Her brow wrinkled in concentration while her eyes squinted. Ileana took in the sight, having finished the letter in seconds. She would have lost her temper over the message if only she did not have the unbelievably cute image of her wife reading right in front of her. When golden eyes widened, Ileana knew that her beloved got the gist of the letter.

"Is he threatening you?" the pale woman growled.

"Well, me, you, the nation, Viktor. He seems to have a lot going on in this letter," Ileana commented casually.

"I'm not going to just let him threaten you, even if he's thousands of miles away. He wants to start trouble, he can meet me on the battlefield and I'll rip his fucking head off!" Xol declared.

"Beloved," Ileana said in a scolding tone while patting her wife's knee to calm her down.

"I will! Xol vowed.

"I do not doubt that and I regret that you may have to do that. I do not think my father got the memo that our little country is not quite the pushover he would like to think it is just because I am in charge or just because I am a woman or just because I am married to you."

"So, should I rally the troops?" Xol asked.

"I think you need to get them ready because my father can bark all he likes now, but I doubt Viktor will ever go back, even once Father dies and he is expected to take the throne. Viktor was not happy as king and it left a bitter taste in his mouth."

"Well, you talk to Viktor. I will call for our fighting forces once again."

Ileana nodded. With that worked out, Xol was up and off while Ileana was left to stare at the barely-disguised threat that her father had sent. Unfortunately, Vladimir Fleurizan, King of Fleuriza, did not know who he was dealing with.

"He is no longer the one with all of the power," she said.

Based on the letter, she could tell her father thought that he could walk all over her and steal Viktor back, so that he would once again have an heir and his very precious son. She knew that in his own twisted way, her father actually loved Viktor. Unfortunately, it was in the manner that a person would love a doll that he could dress up in whatever clothes he desired and make the doll anything that he wanted.

Vladimir considered her a weak monarch for the same reasons that he would never give her his throne and for the same reasons that he still wanted to punish her. She was a woman. She was a woman in a relationship with another female. She was a woman in a relationship with another female who was a daijinn and her former slave. He thought that he could push her around and bend her to his will as he did with everyone, especially since she was his daughter. Well, he was about to find out that she and her beloved were like nothing that he had ever seen or dealt with before. But, before that, she needed to speak with Viktor.

She had Viktor summoned and finished up some work while waiting for him. He rushed in, papers in hand and sticking out his satchel. The smile on his face put the sun to shame and she hated that she had news that would ruin the obvious good day he was having.

"You called for me, Illie?" Viktor asked. She smiled at the nickname. She loved that he always saw her as his big sister before anything else.

"I did. What have you been up to today for such a gleeful, if not hurried look?" she inquired curiously.

"The building renovations for the school are finally done. All of the city's children from five to ten years of age can now get a basic education. I have so many teaching applications! They're mostly teenage girls, nobles of course, who have little to do with their time. I had one girl tell me that it's a way to serve the country because she's too scared to join the army! Can you believe they hold teaching as dear as they do defending the country?" He bounced on his heels with delight.

"I am glad for it! We shall have to put the word out to make sure that attitude gets around. If we have an educated population, the country is the better for it. People will make better decisions with their work and their lives."

"I know. So, what do you want me for, Illie? I know you did not send for me because you were aware I was having a good day," he said as he sat down across from her on her low office table.

"Father wrote to me," Ileana reported as she picked up the letter. She tried to hand it over to her brother, but he shook his head refusing.

"I do not wish to read anything from that man," Viktor said. "What does he want? Aside from hurting you and Xol, anyway."

"He wants you, of course. He demands many things from me in this longwinded threat against us, but you are at the top of the list. He wishes to have his heir back."

Viktor shook his head fervently. "I do not wish to go back. I am home here. I have family, friends, and purpose. I have no desire to be Father's pet prince or even rule his country once he dies. I am not made for the monarchy. I enjoy what I do here, for you, and for this place that feels more like home than home ever did."

Ileana smiled. "I knew you would say as much, but I wanted to be certain."

"Well, be certain. I will not leave here unless by force. I will not leave you or Momma or Xol or Kwen or Miss Olga or anyone unless by force," the teen declared in a strong tone.

"I would never force you to leave, little brother. I enjoy having you around and you are so perfect for the role you play in our new government. As I said, I just wanted to be certain."

"What else does Father want?" Viktor asked curiously.

"He wishes me to deliver Xol to him, as he still would very much like to finish what he started so many years ago and end her life. And, I am to pay him a huge tribute annually, so that he does not invade our dear country and put a 'proper ruler' on the throne."

Viktor scowled. "He really said that?"

"In many more scathing words, yes. He suggests that perhaps Uncle Arrigo might make a good king … if he knows to pay anyway. He also seems to think that all of the daijinn that are coming into the country would sell well on the market after they were retrained."

"We cannot let him do this, Illie!"

Ileana waved her brother off. "Xol is already on it. She was thoroughly outraged when getting to the place in the letter where Father threatens to sell me to any king old enough to control me and put me in my proper place. She so dislikes when people seem to think it is all right to take me from her."

Viktor chuckled. "Same as you when it comes to her."

"Well, she is my beloved."

He nodded. "Do you think Uncle Arrigo had anything to do with this?"

"I am not sure. I would like to think that after what happened with Uncle Massimo, he would not be so stupid as to betray us, but they so crave the throne it is possible. They seem to think that our father is the only one that can control me."

The teen laughed. "Boy, they do not know you at all!"

"It is possible that this is just leftovers from when our uncles contacted our father the first time. Vladimir might think that now that I am on the throne, the country would be easier to intimidate and control. He is in for a rough surprise."

"Then we shall go to war again?"

"If that is what Vladimir decides. He will probably send a small fleet down here, thinking it will intimidate us enough to give into his demands. Xol will, of course, crush him," Ileana said calmly and confidently.

Viktor nodded. "Can … Vladimir …" he tasted the name on his tongue and seemed satisfied with it. "Can he even afford a war with us right now? We have not been gone for two years yet and when we left the country was in bad shape."

"I am sure he took steps to improve it. Vladimir is a decent king. I will give him that. I am sure he does not consider us much of a threat and therefore can conquer us with little effort, even if Fleuriza is not in top condition."

"Sounds like something he would do. So, hardly four months out of one war, we shall get into another?"

"As I said, if that is what Vladimir decides."

Ileana had no doubt that they would come out of a war with Fleuriza just as they had with Cersa, especially since Fleuriza was not nearly as stable as Cersa was. The country had good markets, especially for furs, leather, and seafood, which Chuachin could provide. Any captured officers could bring a rich random, as many of the Cersan officers proved. A war with Fleuriza could certainly work out in Chuachin's favor. Of course, they had to win the war.

-8-8-8-8-

Vladimir reacted just as Ileana suspected he would when she sent him a return message, basically stating that Viktor was now Viktor Bakunarius and completely unrelated to all things Fleurizan, including the royal family. No, he would never return there, even when Vladimir was dead and forgotten. No, Xol would never be sent there and he would do best to call her by name since she was now a monarch herself. No, she and her Consort and the Chuachinese people would not pay him tribute for any reason at all. He would get nothing from them and it would do him well to leave them all be, lest he be made to regret it.

Hardly two months went by before Ileana received word that there was a small fleet of Fleurizan ships headed toward them. Xol was already prepared, having easily gathered and trained troops. She left all of the commands as they had been before. Many soldiers from the Thirty Day war returned and went back to their old units. The only thing that Ileana was not ready for was the Council wanting to know what was going on. She was still getting used to the idea that her power was not absolute and there were people who could question her decisions. She called a meeting with them to explain the situation.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I have called this gathering as I know many of you have questions, especially about why young people have been taken from your villages and cities yet again. The answer is quite simple, we might have war again," Ileana announced to the closed hall.

"Why is there war again? Have one of the former princes betrayed us again?"

"I have not found evidence that any of my uncles had a hand in this. We are being attacked by King Vladimir, who you all know to be my father. He views me as weak and looks down on women and daijinn, so by extension views any country to have me and my beloved as the rulers as weak," Ileana informed them.

There was a laugh. "He obviously does not know you well at all, Highness!"

"I like to think that he does not know any of us well, which is why he sends soldiers to force us to submit. He works off an assumption, but we will work off of facts. He wishes to turn us into a Fleurizan colony, but we will not allow that. This is his decision and we will show him that he has chosen wrong," she vowed and there were some cheers.

"Was there no way to negotiate with him?"

Ileana shook her head. "Regretfully, no. He is the one coming to us, after all. He had no right to make demands upon us in the first place and when denied, his decision was war. Unless, of course, you wish to give him all that he asked for and prove that we are little more than a colony of Fleuriza," she replied.

"Never!"

"This was also my thinking. He cannot make demands on us as we are not his subjects. We are our own and he will have to see that. He has brought this and we will end it," she proclaimed.

"But, at what cost? We already lost many young people in the Thirty Day war. Now, we shall have another when it has not even been half-a-year from the first. Shall we expect nothing more than war during your reign, Highness?"

Ileana frowned. "Did I start this war? Did I start the Thirty Day war? My beloved led us to a glorious victory that people still celebrate almost six months later. We gained markets, money, and respect. Yes, we lost many soldiers, but they would have been lost anyway. Cersa invaded us. _Invaded_ us! At the urging of one of our own. And, now, another invades us and you would blame me? When have I ever done anything that leads you to believe I desire war, that I am a war-monger?" she demanded and the Councilman seemed thoroughly chastised, especially when those around him glared at him.

"Will the Consort be leading this defensive stance as well?"

"She is our Commander-in-chief. It is the main reason that she is not here now. She will be in charge and she has the same officers from before. She was confident when she left that this will go as we expect," Ileana assured them.

"And how do we expect this to go?"

Ileana chuckled. "We will win, of course. How else could it go?"

"Yes, how else could it go with the goddess leading the way?" one of the new Councilmembers proclaimed. He was one of the daijinn chiefs.

"Tales of fancy aside, are we sure that the Consort can handle this?"

"My beloved has won many battles in her life. She does not intend to start losing now. She just won a war for us. Do you know her creed? 'My nation is my tribe and my tribe is my family and my family is my life, therefore my nation is my life.' She will protect this country and all of us as she would protect her family. We should all think in the same manner. Now, unless you all plan to just lie down and surrender, I think the discussion here is pointless. Vladimir is coming, his war ships are coming, and Xol will defend us, even if you would rather surrender. If you are brave and proud and plan to fight, then that is what we should discuss," Ileana declared and there were cheers again.

"The daijinn villages and tribes have all already agreed to send what food and other supplies to the troops that we can. All of the soldiers that left insisted that we send for all troops, not just the daijinn," a chief reported.

"That is a start. The soldiers are all brothers-in-arms. You cannot send to one and not the other. We can be better organized for this, united in our efforts. Will the other villages and towns sacrifice as the daijinn have?" Ileana asked.

There were mumbles, but none of the human Councilmembers wanted to be shown up by the daijinn chiefs. They all agreed to send supplies and things, which was good. The last war, it was difficult scraping together everything that the military needed. Ileana smiled; her beloved would like the support. She was definitely coming to understand how she best served any battle that they had by staying home and continuing to run the country.

"Are we done here?" Ileana inquired.

"Highness, how many ships are we expecting? Do you know?"

"Not very many. Fleuriza is a land-locked country. They have ships build for traveling on rivers, but not the sea, so Vladimir would need to get ocean worthy ships and getting many at such short notice is hardly possible. I will have a report shortly and let you know what to expect. If you are wondering why so many soldiers were taken, it is because my Consort would prefer to err on the side of caution, just in case King Vladimir was able to get several large vessels," Ileana explained.

"When do you expect them?"

"The report will come in a few days. The ships should land less than two weeks from now," she informed them.

"Two weeks? Then we must prepare!"

The timetable cleared the room better than Ileana ever could, even though the Council did not leave until she gave them permission with a simple nod of her head. Alone, Ileana sighed, but a smile played on her lips. She had faith in "the little goddesss" as more and more daijinn were calling her beloved. Xol would bring them victory again and even countries of the north would know that Chuachin was not the sick country it once was. The world would know that Chuachin was back on its feet.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the country goes to war again.


	26. 25: Victor

25: Victor

It was reported that Vladimir had gotten war ships from a neighboring country that was on friendly relations with him. Xol decided that she would punish that country by sinking or destroying every ship for the mere fact that Vladimir had insulted her wife and her brother-in-law. Countries would have to learn that it was unwise to aid her enemies, especially ones that disrespected her family. She was much better equipped to handle Vladimir than she had been the last time Chuachin had a war.

First off, the soldiers were getting better rations than before. The whole country wanted to get behind a victory, especially from a northern invader that viewed them as barbarians. Beyond the rations, people made sure to send leather for armor and boots, metal for weapons and armor, and any other items that might be useful to the army.

The call to arms was met with more enthusiasm than the first war. Now, many young people were looking for glory and wealth in battle. Many of the soldiers from the Thirty Day War had gone home with looted treasures from the enemies and exciting stories to share. Not to mention, honor and prestige from having saved the country from invaders. Others wanted the same. Of course, the army was not as big because they had lost so many soldiers in the first war, but they still had plenty of troops.

Because they had more materials, they had better weapons. Now, some troops had spears along with swords and daggers. Every soldier had a uniform and it bore marks for their cell, division, and unit. Battle formations and attack strategies were tightened up. Officers understood who they worked best with, so commanders knew which units and captains and lieutenants they wanted with them. And, of course, Xol knew who did what best even better than before, so she knew where to put people.

Best of all was that Xol knew that she had the advantage in this new war. Vladimir had declared war on them based on what he assumed, but she knew about him. She knew about Fleuriza's war tactics. She would show him why it was so horrible to assume things when it came to something like battle.

"Do you want to use the same strategy that we used against the Cersan navy?" Dario asked Xol as the officers met up.

"It will get them to land where we want them to land. I don't want them getting close to Basilinar," Xol stated.

"How many men do you think we could expect?" Amedeo asked.

"They managed twenty ships, which can hold almost three hundred soldiers. We can't be dealing with more than six thousand people," Xol reasoned.

There were several scoffs. "Really? We have all these people for six thousand men? Hell, even if the ships' crews are soldiers, too. That's only what, like eight thousand people?" Cosmo pointed out, sounding insulted.

"That works out to our advantage, so let's not sound so pissed over it," Xol reminded them.

"Okay, we have twenty thousand men. We should be able to handle this," Leon stated.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I want to take this very cautiously. We have numbers and I don't want us burying a bunch of soldiers at the end of this because we were overconfident. Now, what is the plan?" Xol asked.

"I think using some of the plan from the Cersan navy battle works. We shouldn't need to use the daijinn units to drive the Fluerizans, though. We should just surround the beach where we force them to land," Assunta reasoned.

"I think we should even tweak that. We should sink those ships when they get close enough," Dario proposed.

Xol nodded since she planned to do that anyway. "The bolt shooters and the giant slings should work. We will have to wait until they get closer in range, so even if they try to flee, we can still hit them. They will have to land or drown."

"They hit the beach, we'll get the longbow archers and the crossbows should be ready. As they draw closer, we'll get the soldiers to throw their spears," Yu added.

"Where should we put the daijinn then? How do you want to use us, little goddess?" Ro asked.

Xol thought on it, eyes focused on the map of their planned battleground. She knew how daijinn fought and knew that they would not be pleased to be put in with regular foot soldiers. Rubbing her chin, her long, slender tail swayed and she nodded.

"We'll give them one way out, into the heavy brush. The daijinn will wait there for any men that make it. To get them that way, I want the crossbows set up here." Xol pointed to a space on the map. "Have the men with spears there, too, along with some of our heavy artillery."

"When do you want us to charge down the hill?" Leon asked. The beach that they had chosen did not have cliffs like their last beach assault. It was further away from the capital, just in case.

"Cut 'em in half. By then, our crossbow archers will be out of arrows and the spears will be gone. The cavalry troops should come around the crossbow archers, just to make sure the Fleurizans are surrounded, even though all they would be able to do is retreat back into the sea. I don't want them to even have that chance. So, we'll have units take on the men on the beach and those that make it to the woods will have the daijinn units to deal with and those that make it out will have the rest of the army to contend with," Xol answered.

"You getting in on this one, boss?" Kwen asked.

Xol cast him a look and a dark smirk conquered her face. "The man threatened my mate and my family. How could I not?"

"Agreed, since our nation is our tribe, our tribe is our family, and our family is our life," Pia remarked with a smile.

"Then we will defend this land with our lives. We will give the Fleurizans a fight that they will talk about a hundred years from now and they will never quarrel with us again!" Xol proclaimed with a vigor they all knew came from the fact that Vladimir had threatened her mate. Of course, he had also threatened her nation and Xol did not take kindly to that either.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana kept a close eye on her remaining uncles. She wanted to know if Arrigo or Riccardo had somehow tipped her father off or they had contacted him in any way, but so far she had nothing on them. She was going to keep it all to herself, but her mother cornered her in her office.

"You have to tell me if my brothers are involved in this," Lucia begged her daughter, who blinked in surprise. Ileana had been doing some work and petting a sleeping Shei, who suddenly found Ileana's lap the most comfortable place in the world lately.

"Mother, calm down," Ileana replied, rising from her seat and gently placing Shei on a pillow beside her. She went to her mother and put her arms around the older woman.

"You have to tell me! I cannot believe that they would again try to harm you and our whole country just because they did not get the throne!" Lucia bawled.

"Mother, please, calm down. There is nothing that says Uncle Arrigo or Uncle Riccardo had anything to do with this. Vladimir has taken it upon himself to attack us," Ileana tried to assure her mother, rubbing her back in the hopes of soothing her.

"How can you be so certain? After what Massimo did and after they had contacted your father before?" the older woman sniffled.

"Mother, I am looking into it and I cannot find any evidence. I do not think your brothers are silly enough to try the same thing that Massimo did after seeing what happened to him. This is Vladimir pure and simple," Ileana said as she led her mother over to a couch. They sat down together and Ileana continued holding onto her mother. The once sleeping cub was now awake thanks to the news, but actually tried to help by rubbing against Lucia's leg, as if to comfort her.

"Are you sure? I know my brothers are ruthless, but I do not want to have to deal with the idea of them betraying us anymore than they have," Lucia said.

"It is not them, Mother. You can assure Grandfather of the same. I know he worries," Ileana said.

Lucia chuckled a little and smiled. "He does. He is so proud of you, and happy for you. He may never say it since he does try so much to come across as a big, strong man, but he is quite taken with you and Xol and your abilities. He is very comfortable with your leadership. He has begun talking of retiring to an island somewhere and fish for the remainder of his life."

"He could. Why is he waiting?" Ileana asked curiously, purposely turning the conversation to her grandfather. She suspected it would keep her mother calm. It would keep her calm, too, as she worried over when the fighting would begin and how her beloved would fare.

"He just wants to stay around for a while in case you need help. Give him a few more months and he will be off. He wants to keep an eye on you, the Council, and my brothers. I think he just wants to feel useful."

"He is useful. He loves us and has faith in us, which many of us sorely need. Before coming here, the only people beside Xol to love me and show faith in me after you left were Miss Olga and Viktor. That was the extent of my family and Vladimir even broke that up by almost killing Xol. Grandfather gave us all something I cannot even begin to repay him for."

Lucia smiled. "Be sure to tell him that the next time you see him. Poppa has a heavy heart from many failures in life. He will be glad to know he did one thing exceptionally well."

"I will tell him." Ileana smiled, too. "Are you all right now?"

"I am. You are sure this is all Vladimir's idea?"

"I promise you, it is. Do not fret, Mother. This will be over quickly, but I will remain vigil. I know your brothers still want the throne. I do not think they will go to the same extremes as Massimo, though. Arrigo is much sneakier and Riccardo is much more indirect. Trust me, Mother. I will not let them get the better of me."

Lucia nodded and took a deep of breath. "I cannot stand the thought of losing you or Viktor after being apart for so long. We have so many years ahead of us."

"And we _will_ have them, Mother. I will not let anything happen," Ileana vowed in a strong voice that made it seem like even God could not tear them apart. "Come, we will go and have lunch together and enjoy our time together, even though we have so many more moments ahead of us. It will take my mind off of Xol." Shei poked his head up at the mention of Xol and looked around, but, of course, she was not here.

Lucia's eyes widened. "Oh, I am sorry, Ileana. I have not even considered your state of mind with your beloved away at war."

"It is fine, Mother. I need something to take my mind off of her or I will sit here all day and night awaiting word from her. So, we will have lunch and then we will tour all of your good works through out the city."

Lucia nodded and decided to leave with Ileana. The Queen was happy for the distraction because she was worried about her wife. She knew what would happen if the Fleurizans captured Xol. She would never see her beloved again and her father would undoubtedly torment and torture Xol before finally ending her life.

-8-8-8-8-

When ships carrying the Fleurizan soldiers came into view, the Chuachinese knew it was the moment of truth. Everything was in place, now they just needed the ships to come to them. The few Chuachinese vessels out in the ocean waited for the signal. Xol gave a nod and a single archer shot out a flaming arrow and the Chuachin ships released their slings, shooting out large jars of liquid fire. The jars were broken either by the water or by the flaming projectiles the ships fired from smaller catapults. A massive wall of fire shot up and the enemy ships had a choice; they could head for open water or they could go toward land. They chose land; Xol gathered that ships always assumed there were more ships with fire waiting out in the open water.

Once the ships were within range, the catapults and bolt shooters were used against the ships. Several ships took damaged and caught fire from the first volley. The second volley came right after the first one and more ships were hit. The Chuachin army watched as their enemies started getting into small escape rafts and headed toward the beach.

When the rafts and the few swimmers were in range, the archers began firing. Hundreds of flaming missiles came down on the men, wounding them and their rafts. Xol considered the battle over before the true fighting even commenced when she saw how many men made it to the beach. It was almost a sure thing when the crossbows and spears came into play. Still, she did not think twice as she led the charge down the hill to cut the invading army in half.

Xol let out a roar as she ignited both of her arms all the way up to her shoulders. She unleashed huge columns of fire toward their enemies as she ran down the hill to the beach. Behind her was the Chuachin forces armed with large shields and drawn swords. The Fleurizan soldiers drew their weapons, too.

The Chuachinese army easily bisected the Fleurizan army. Some of the Fleurizans turned around instead of fleeing into the woods, but they were not enough to change the outcome of the battle. Xol made sure that her troops knew that the Fleurizans would be armed with long swords, so they packed them in closely, making it hard to swing the blades. Also, she made sure they knew that the Fleurizans preferred making high swings with their swords, looking to cut off heads.

The Chuachin troops had traditional swords, which were not as long as the Fleurizan swords and could be used for both swinging and thrusting. The Chuachinese mostly thrust their swords at their enemies as the cavalry came and packed the area in, taking their enemies down from atop their horses.

The other half that fled the battle had to tangle with the daijinn laying in wait. The woods that they went into were thick and there was no path for the soldiers to follow. Their lines were further broken and the daijinn seemed to come out of nowhere. As the daijinn began the assault, they were joined by some of the awaiting military just outside the woods. The human troops made sure the daijinn were not outnumbered by their enemies.

Soon the smell of the sea was drowned out by the smell of blood and sounds of a slaughter. The battle was not what the Chuachin military expected. They had thought it would be like their last war, but it was not. It was as Xol predicted: a victory for them that guaranteed the Fleurizans would not quarrel with Chuachin again.

As the sunset, it was clear that the battle was over and the beach was awash in blood and ash. The nearby woods smelled of flesh and blood, too. The skeletons of warships blazed and plumes of smoke from their remained blocked out the sky. Xol scanned the bodies of their enemies and exhaled, smoke coming from her mouth. She then cracked her knuckles.

"No one threatens my family anymore. No one threatens my mate. No one," Xol vowed to no one in particular.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana was working when the message came in. She should have been in the bed. She should have been asleep, but it was too difficult to lie down in her bed without her wife nearby. She took a deep breath and glanced at the parchment as the words appeared on it. She forced herself to turn away and wait for the complete message before reading it, but she could not focus on the other words in front of her. She gave up on work and turned her attention to the message. A grin spread across her face.

"They won!" she screamed to no one in particular. Most of the palace was asleep, so it did not matter. Shei was by her side and rubbed his head on her hip as if to acknowledge her happiness. She leaped to her feet, staring at the parchment with pure excitement and delight in her hazel gaze.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, boss?" Mei asked, entering the office to see the Queen jumping up and down.

Ileana looked at the daijinn and grinned. "I can actually get some now. They won the battle and Xol is confident that there will not be another one. They either killed or captured every man from the Fleurizan ships. It is done!"

Mei smiled. "You sound as if you expected otherwise."

Ileana scoffed. "Of course I did not, but I still worry. I know how many families feel that get left behind. Our family is out there. My beloved and our children," she remarked with a teasing smile at Mei.

"I know what you mean. I wish the chief would have let me go."

"As you told me before, she knows who should do what. You have work to do, after all," Ileana pointed out.

Mei shrugged. "I'm a fighter, too. I'm letting it pass now because none of the wars have been long. But, if we end up in a fight with another country, I'm totally going," she proclaimed.

Ileana rolled her eyes. "If the little goddess says you are not going, you would not go."

Mei laughed. "You haven't seen my trick yet."

"The whining trick? I have seen it. It is one of the many reasons why we call you a child. I think you would find yourself still being left here. She likes the work that you do with the daijinn when you have the time. Has she spoken to you about doing it more often?" Ileana asked.

"No, she is still using me as an assistant, but I'm not supposed to tell," Mei replied with a pleased grin.

"Is she now? That little sneak. You are not to do that anymore. She has to learn to read and write just like the rest of us. You can help her with it, but you are not to do it for her anymore. From now on, make yourself busy with the daijinn and human relations with the daijinn. Xol will learn to read and write whether she likes it or not," Ileana proclaimed.

Mei chuckled and nodded. "I gotcha, boss. Now, I have to also carry out the orders left with me in regards to you. I was told to take good care of you, which means you need to go to bed. You need sleep, especially soon you will undoubtedly have to negotiate the peace between us and your father. I know you want to be fresh for that."

Ileana smirked; _oh, yes, I do want to be fresh for that_. So, she did as Mei wanted and went to bed. Shei followed her of his own accord, sleeping in his corner of the bedroom. The Queen dreamed of holding Xol in her arms soon and making King Vladimir pay for his mistake of testing her.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol sat down on a cushion before a low table and leaned forward onto it. Yu and Ro sat down to the right of her while Leon and Amedeo sat down to the left of her. The other officers were waiting outside the tent. Before her, Kwen dragged in the highest ranking member of the Fleurizan army that was still alive. The lone commander was shivering from being in the sea and coated in blood and soot. The man quickly looked between the people at the table and focused on Leon and Amedeo.

"Your attention is in the wrong place, sir. She is the one you would like to plead to," Amedeo remarked as he pointed to Xol.

"A dog?" the foreign commander accidentally gasped.

"You will address her as 'royal Highness' or 'your Majesty' and nothing less," Leon ordered the prisoner.

"You actually take commands from a dog!" the foreign officer had the nerve to laugh.

"I vote we execute him," Kwen said.

"I second," Leon concurred.

"Did we suddenly become a democracy and I missed it?" Yu asked curiously.

"No, but you know how every now and then, the boss will go with the majority rule, so just in case I think we should all let her know we want him executed," Kwen replied.

"Good point," Yu agreed.

"We will only execute him if he cannot be of any use to us," Xol informed the group.

"That does sound fair enough," Amedeo said.

"All right." Xol turned her attention to their captive. He looked a cross between haughty and contrite. An odd mix to be sure, like he did not know whether to hold his head up high or hang his head in shame. "This is just for official purposes, but do you surrender?"

"Excuse me?" the foreign commander asked.

"Do you officially surrender? Or do we have to plan for more ships and more slaughters?" Xol countered.

"I do not have the power …" he began to say.

"All right. Kwen, get some rope. We'll hang him," Xol decided calmly.

"Wait, what?" the prisoner said as Kwen grabbed him by the shoulder.

"We are going to hang you. You are of no use to us. I don't have time to waste playing games with you, who think that you are so superior. If you cannot do anything, we will send word to your king and he will know his forces were annihilated. What he does with that knowledge is up to him. If he sends more forces, we will devour them," Xol stated in a composed manner.

"And we will, too," Leon vowed.

"Okay, wait," the foreign leader begged, trying to pull away from Kwen. "I do have the power to officially surrender."

"I thought you might. So, sign this." Xol slid a parchment toward him while Leon handed him a quill, which was already inked.

The commander wasted no time making his mark on the paper. Next, Xol had him write a letter to King Vladimir, explaining that his forces had been wiped out, ships and all, by unstoppable Chuachin troops. She had him put in things about her leading them and igniting her hands. She let the others decide on how he would phrase it in his letter, but by the end of their tales, Xol was almost scared of herself and she hoped that what they described was not truly what she seemed like when using her blessing.

"We're done with him," Xol said, nodding toward the prisoner.

"Still want me to get the rope?" Kwen requested.

Xol appeared to think on it. "Find out how much he's worth. If the rope costs more, then hang him," she decided.

Kwen chuckled as he dragged the captive from the tent. Xol then motioned for the others to leave. As soon as they were gone, she had to lie down. She was tired from using her blessing, but not quite as exhausted as before. She supposed it was because she was getting used to it and she had not used it fully like it the previous battles. Still, she needed to sleep a bit and then get something to eat. She would leave the rest of the tidying up to her officers; she trusted them to do what was necessary.

-8-8-8-8-

For the second time in six months, Xol and her army entered the capital of Basilinar to fanfare and cheers. The people were ready and willing to celebrate the single battle war as much as they had been ready and willing to celebrate the war with Cersa. There were flowers, incenses, bells, and whistles again. Ileana waited for them in front of the palace and embraced her beloved the second that she could.

"Mei wants you to take her during the next war," Ileana commented with a laughing smile.

"If there is another one and if it's necessary, but only those two things," Xol replied with a smile of her own.

Ileana nodded to that and then turned to address the soldiers. She opened the palace to them again, but definitely did not plan to have them there as long as the army had started before. After a couple of days, the Queen and her Consort were dropping heavy hints that soldiers needed to get back home and back to their normal jobs. Most of them just played around in the capital for a few more days before leaving.

-8-8-8-8-

"I rest so much easier when you are here with me, so you cannot leave anymore," Ileana remarked as she snuggled into Xol warm, nude body. They were in bed after playing hostesses to the army for a few days.

"I know what you mean. The only time I really get any sleep away from you is when I use the blessing a lot and just pass out," Xol replied.

"And no surprises about the blessing this time out?" the Queen asked as she played with Xol's fingers.

"No, no surprises. I don't think there's really anything left for me to be able to ignite. A few soldier have said that fire comes out of my mouth in the heat of battle, but I'm not sure about that. I've heard them telling tales about me, after all."

Ileana smiled slightly. "I have heard some of the tales, too. You are either the sun goddess herself or a demon, depending on who is telling the story. The daijinn are almost all agreed that you are the goddess while the humans are a little more flexible. You sound like quite a sight on the battlefield."

"It's not something that I want you to see, especially if I'm anything like what they describe."

"Well, perhaps you could be that stunning when we have the ambassador show up to negotiate a treaty."

"You demanded a treaty?" Xol asked curiously.

"I did. I just want Vladimir to admit that we defeated him and for him to understand that we will not roll over. Not me, not you, not Viktor, and not our nation. We are strong, stronger than he is, and he will have to accept that," Ileana proclaimed.

"Has he accepted the idea of a treaty?"

"He will have to in order to save face. His army was decimated by you and our forces. He already looks awful for trying to invade us and then he is so easily defeated. If he turns away the demand for peace, he will look like a warmonger and most countries will not want to deal with him, especially since he lost all of those ships for one of his allies. If nothing else, they will push for peace and he will have to comply or lose that ally."

"Why would they push for peace?"

"Because they probably do not want to be involved in a war, especially one that has nothing to do with them. Everyone has to figure out a way to save face here or risk looking like jerks to other nations that they most assuredly would like to get along with, especially us since we are getting things together and we are the bridge between the west and the east."

Xol nodded to show that she understood. She hoped that they got favorable conditions in the treaty like they had with Cersa. The country needed every little bit possible to keep it from sinking.

"Are we done talking about the war and peace treaties?" Xol asked curiously.

"Why?" Ileana countered with a smile.

Xol did not bother to answer and kissed her wife passionately. The kiss felt endless and the press of their bodies together felt infinite. They moaned and their hands could not stop caressing each other. They did not sleep that night.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol consciously tried not to slouch sitting on the throne and tried to keep her crown from troubling her ears. Ileana gave her a scolding glance that kept her sitting upright. It did not stop her from wiggling her ears, though.

"We have to get another crown designed. I can't keep wearing this and expect to have ears afterward," Xol grumbled.

"We will get it done. For now, be still and sit up straight. Whatever ambassador comes in must see our best and strongest side, so we can make some very outrageous demands," Ileana remarked.

Xol laughed a little, which caused Ileana to smile. They then turned their attention to the front of the room. They were then surprised when the servant came to announce their guest.

"I present to you, his royal highness, King Vladimir Fleurizan of the country of Fleuriza."

The couple turned to each other, but barely could exchange a glance before the announced king marched in as if he owned the world. Ileana cringed as she watched his cape move behind him, reminding her of when she was younger and she thought the cape was alive. Occasionally, she used to have nightmares that the cape did what her father could not do – kill her or kill her beloved. She shook that off and decided that she would give him nightmares for a while.

But, there was something different about him. The aura around him was different. His stare seemed to be less sharp and even his walk was somewhat less. Despite having on all his royal robes and cape, he was clearly thinner than he used to be. There were worry lines on his pale face. He was a shadow of his former self.

"King Vladimir, such a surprise," Ileana declared with a predatory grin. She looked like a shark and there was blood in the water.

Vladimir actually stopped in his tracks because of her expression. Barely a second later, he realized what he did and continued walking. Ileana's smile took on an almost devilish quality now. She had her father. He was not expecting her as she was, self-aware and powerful, and she was willing to bet that he showed up to intimidate her. Well, he was in for a horrid surprise.

When he sat and they spoke, Ileana got an even better idea of how much she had him. He was clearly in trouble with the nobles of his own country and his allies for his actions; well, more for his loss. She had learned from others that he made a lot of wild promises and spoke of massive treasures from his conquest of Chuachin, which of course did not happen. Now, he needed to twist things in his favor and Ileana refused him any of that.

"These are our terms for peace. You meet these and we will return your surviving men," Ileana stated as she passed a scroll to a servant, who then handed it to the king.

"But nothing else," Xol added, just to give him an idea that she was not there for show.

Vladimir frowned. "You have done well for yourself, Ileana. Well, almost," he commented, casting a glance at Xol.

"I can do better because if you continue to insult my beloved, my mate, and my wife, then I will change the terms of the treaty and you will get nothing beyond the headache the nobles of Fleuriza are giving you. I hate to think of what Emperor Wilhelm will do to you if you ruin this chance after you lost twenty of his ships and equipment," Ileana stated.

Vladimir bristled and scowled, which let Ileana know that she was right on the money. Her father had lost some of his edge. She wondered if it was due to his illness or the problems in Fleuriza catching up to him. In all honesty, she did not care.

"There is no mention of Viktor returning to Fleuriza in this document," Vladimir pointed out.

"Because he will not be returning. He refuses and he will continue to refuse. You will return home and find some irksome young noblewoman to bear you new children. You have lost the ones here," Ileana informed him.

Vladimir winced, but he could not do anything about that. The only recourse he had really was to sign the treaty and at least get his men back. If he only knew that Ileana would have given him the men regardless because she wanted those soldiers to go back to Fleuriza and tell horror stories of what the Chuachin army was capable of. In the end, Ileana and Xol got everything they wanted and were more than pleased to watch Vladimir leave their country with his head hanging and his shoulders slumped. They had the final word with the king. They had won, more than just the war. They had won in life.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: there's a time jump and with no external enemies, Chuachin seems to be turning against itself.


	27. Part III  26: Simmering

Part III

26: Simmering

Four years seemed to fly by, as the country of Chuachin had been busy under the leadership of her Royal Highness Queen Ileana and the Royal Consort Xol. Thankfully, after the trouble with Cersa and Fleuriza, they did not have to worry about wars anymore. They continued to train troops just in case, even though their neighbors and other nations accepted them as an equal country.

As far as their army went, they had a couple of forts in the north just in case Cersa wanted to start something again. They also had a couple of forts on their southern border as a warning to their neighbor to the south. Xol was waiting to see if more were necessary, but the most part, there neighbors had become allies of sorts in at least trade.

Typically, young people showed up at the forts for basic training, which lasted six months, and training in other skills, which also lasted six months. The military taught construction and engineering and also trained royal guards and the state guards, which was the country's new police force that Ileana had put into place.

Ileana had put in many civil jobs since coming into power, most of which were paid by the fact that the palace had a side business, as Yu and Mei jokingly called it. Lucia and Fry were still raising the rabbits from years ago that Xol and Kwen had captured. The furs from the rabbits were sold in the north and the meat was sold in the country, or still used as currency when it could be. They also made good use of the money that came from the wars four years ago and their tax system was up and running. Of course, most of the population was exempt from taxes or paid very little due to a number of reasons, but that would change as the country became more and more of an economic power.

Beyond royal guards and state guards, the Queen also created a trash collecting force and in every city, town, and village, trash was collected at least once a week. There were the makings of a fire-fighting force, but she had only just started on that. And, of course, there were still roads, bridges, dams, and things that needed to be taken care of.

Ileana was not the only royal making moves. Xol was still helping on creating farmland and villages. She had a few engineering projects, having people put up aqueducts and canals to bring water to those places. Xol was also working with daijinn in several fields, especially getting into the fur and leather trade. Then there was the issue helping the daijinn flow with human society, which was serious work.

The royal couple's executive committee worked just as hard as they did. Miss Olga was still heavily involved in the business section of the country. She had recently spoken with some daijinn about lumber to build ships. She spoke with the daijinn because they were involved in building another village along the southern boarder and there was thick, almost jungle there. Whatever lumber the daijinn did not use were sent to Miss Olga's office and she either sold the timber to businesses for their own ships or she had workers build ships. Some of the ships she sold to local businesses and other ships were sold to other countries. She gave some businesses tips on buying lumber from the daijinn, too, so they could stand on their own and not use her as a middleman.

Viktor and Lucia were both sharing social programs. Lucia was still working on helping businesses get started, so she worked with Miss Olga every now and then. She also ran an employment agency to find people work. Viktor was deeply involved in education, not just primary schools, but trade schools and universities. They had both opened several orphanages to help all the children that they could, wanting the kids to grow into productive citizens. They made sure all of the children were provided with basic needs as well as education and encouraged families to adopt.

Kwen was still involved in construction since they were still making roads, wanting to connect as much of the country as possible. Yu and Mei were practically interchangeable parts in the daijinn community, teaching them about human cultural items like business, money, and written language. Yu had his pet project going, working on a library full of daijinn knowledge.

Everything was running smoothly as far as the government was concerned, but there seemed to be an under current of tension. Society was moving along well. The country was back on its feet and getting better everyday. Still, Xol, Ileana, and their close group walked the streets and they felt like something was rising, but they were not sure what. Sometimes, they dismissed it as paranoia because none of them was used to things going well or as they had planned. But, there were other times when they knew it was more than paranoia and they would soon know just what it was.

-8-8-8-8-

"Hey, keep your damned beaded crap on your side!" a vendor barked, causing Xol's ears to twitch.

Xol turned and was surprised to see a group of vendors arguing with each other. A pair of human males that stood nearby were screaming at a pair of daijinn females. The guys were shoving satchels on the floor while the ladies were kicking holes into the guys' stand. Xol decided to take a little detour from her hunt and strolled over to the argument.

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" Xol asked, getting the group's attention.

"Oh, god, another one of these fucking things!" the skinny male muttered.

"Whoa! That is not cool, man. This is Her Majesty, the Royal Consort!" the other man scolded his partner, going so far as punching him in the shoulder.

"Oh, shit," the skinny male yelped and put his hands over his mouth. "So sorry," he apologized, bowing slightly to her.

"What the hell is going on?" Xol inquired, quickly glancing around to make sure her mate did not just appear out of thin air. In all of the years that they had been together, Xol felt like Ileana just _knew_ when she used swear words now.

"They keep putting their products in our way," the second, wider man declared while sneering at the daijinn females.

"Their merchandise is too close to ours, anyway! We're supposed to have six feet each and they keep moving the dividers," the female daijinn explained and she pointed down to the table. The market that Xol was currently in was one of the smaller market places and, instead of individual stands like in the larger markets, there were long tables that were divided by short blocks to keep products separated.

The capital city had flourished in the past few years and grown enough to where there were several different markets around the area that catered to different goods and people. Smaller markets, like the one Xol was in now, were more for people just starting out and also for more average citizens than the larger markets or the shops on the boulevard. Xol had already been to those, so now she was trying the smaller ones. She never expected to run into an argument between vendors, though.

"How about you all focus on the big picture, like the fact that you're not likely to sell anything if you're arguing with each other and keeping away all of your customers?" Xol pointed out.

"We wouldn't be arguing if these damned jinn kept their shit on their own side," the skinny man proclaimed and was promptly smacked in the back of his head by his partner. "Ow! What the hell, man?"

"You can't just talk any way you want to the Consort, man! She's saved our country twice from invaders and she's married to the Queen!" the other young man pointed out in a huff.

"At least one of you know to respect the Chief," the female daijinn sniffed and then focused on Xol again. "They've been making snide and disrespectful comments all day about our people."

Xol frowned and focused on the men. "Do you have a problem with your countrymen, the daijinn?" she demanded.

"Of course not, highness! We were just upset because they kept moving their things into our space and our mouths ran away with us! We meant no serious disrespect!" the seemingly smarter young man replied with wild hand movements to back up his words.

"It didn't seem that way on our end," the female daijinn stated.

"Highness, in all fairness, they said some things about humans, too," the smarter male said, glaring at the two female.

Xol snorted through her nose. "Is that true?"

"We only said those things because they were disrespecting us. We had to defend ourselves!"

Xol nodded. "That maybe the case, but this isn't how any of you should be acting. I understand that in the heat of the moment you can sometimes lose yourself, but you must all work on self-control. You're only hurting yourselves in the end. You're scaring away your business, first and foremost. I'm sure you all don't intend to stay in this small market for the rest of your lives, so you might want to work on that, so you can move on to bigger and better things."

They all nodded, as if controlled. "Yes, ma'am."

Golden eyes suddenly became intense and caused them all to gulp. "While your words might come in the heat of the moment or to defend yourself from an attack, the attitudes will hopefully disappear with your anger. For this nation to work, we have to all get along. Don't think that just because things are good now that you can pretend to be better than others just because you're human or you can fall back into thinking all humans are terrible. We are all Chuachinese and we are all in this together. It's the only way for us to survive."

They all nodded again and looked thoroughly chastised. The Consort walked off before they could say anything else. She was supposed to be looking for a present for her beloved. Their four-year anniversary was coming up and she knew by now that she was expected to have a gift. Their first anniversary had been an embarrassment for her because she did not know that she was expected to come bearing gifts. The second had been better as she had upgraded swords for her mate and last year she had gone with daijinn beaded jewelry, which Ileana admired greatly. Now, she was at a loss, but she would continue searching.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana was sitting at her desk when she heard her office door open. She looked up to see Councilwoman Julia Lindworm enter. Hazel eyes tracked the older woman as she bowed and smiled at the Queen.

"Highness," Julia greeted her. Her eyes scanned the room quickly, making sure they were alone, Ileana thought it might be because sometimes she kept Shei in the office with her and most humans were not willing to stay in an enclosed area with a hundred and fifty pound cat that was not at least on a chain.

"Good day, Councilwoman. What can I do for you?" Ileana asked.

Julia laughed a little. "I just want to talk a little. Getting a chance to talk with you is difficult. Thankfully, your very large assistant was of great help."

Ileana smiled a little more. Her very large assistant was Mei. No matter what Mei was doing in the government or in society, she always drifted back to working for Ileana and Xol as their assistant. She seemed most comfortable there and most useful. They were not about to deny her the job since it seemed to be the most important position that she could have in her own eyes.

"She does come in handy. Now, what can I do for you, Councilwoman Julia? I do not want to rush you, but I have so much work," Ileana sighed, but she was still smiling.

Julia chuckled. "I do not want to take up much of your time. I just have something urgent to discuss with you to help you secure your reign and since being Queen looks good on you, I feel you will be open to the suggestion."

"What is it?"

"You have been on the throne for over four years. By the fifth, the Council will either grant you all of the powers of the Crown, which we all know you have already been using with dazzling results, or they will decide that you are not a fit monarch and look to replace you with a better choice."

Ileana's attention drifted somewhat to the paperwork that she had. "You mean to tell me that after all I have done, after all Xol has done, you would replace us now that the country is somewhat back on track? I do not think that the people will go for that," she pointed out in a dull tone.

"No, I do not suppose they would, but the Council would not like to replace you either. Well, most of the Council. But, several members in different, private settings brought up a very alarming point."

"Which was?"

"Majesty, at some point, you will need to produce an heir."

"An heir?" Ileana echoed as if she did not know what such a thing was.

"Yes, an heir. You are a young, vibrant barely twenty-six year old woman. The entire Council expects you to have an heir. You have excellent qualities, which is why we approved of you to be Queen. We expect you to pass those qualities on."

Ileana shook her head. "Viktor is younger than I and much more likely to wed someone of the opposite sex. I am sure he will have progeny. One will undoubtedly be worthy of the throne. I mean, my producing an heir should not mean much. Look at Grandfather, he had three possible heirs and ended up going with me."

"But, you were only possible because he had reproduced. Yes, Viktor might have wonderful children, but the Council would prefer you to bear your own heirs because you are the one with the qualities that we would like to see passed on. Viktor is a wonderful young man and a great organizer and fighter for social equality, but he is not you. He is not made for the crown. We want someone who is made for the crown."

"You say that, but you fail to realize that Viktor and I share the same blood and just as my parents were able to produce the two of us, Viktor might be able to produce someone like me. Possibly someone better than me as they would not hold some of my father's negative qualities for as you know, Viktor is the one between us much more like my mother. He carries his Chuachinese blood much better than I do."

Julia shook her head. "The Council would prefer you to have your own heirs. They want your bloodline to continue. I am actually among those that would prefer that, though I would never deny you the full powers of the throne based solely on that. Unfortunately, there are some that will and they have a year to get people on their side for the cause."

"And what would you have me do? I will not divorce my beloved and be married to some man," Ileana pointed out in a hard tone.

Julia shook her head. "No, I would not go that far. First off, the people would probably rise up in revolt against you. She is a national hero and a symbol of our freedom to them. Most of them adore the Consort, even if they have problems with the daijinn themselves. Also, the daijinn would never forgive you if divorced the Consort. It could cause a revolt amongst the daijinn."

"Then what would you suggest? I should take a lover? Do you think the daijinn would be happy with the Queen cheating on her mate? You have no idea the bond that Xol and I share or what it means to us. I could sooner pluck out my eyes and cut out my own tongue than be with anyone except for her," Ileana declared.

Julia nodded, even though the Queen knew she truly did not understand. "Perhaps you could get the Consort's permission. You would not be the first ruler to have a lover or several. Just some young nobles with desirable qualities –"

Ileana cut in with a disgusted frown. "And I am to be bred like a prized mare? I should act like a bitch in heat and lie with any 'young noble with desirable qualities'?" she demanded.

The councilwoman quickly threw her hands up. "No, Highness, I did not mean it that way!"

"Then what way could you have possibly meant it?" Ileana huffed, glaring the older woman down. "I cannot even express to you how insulted I am right now. For you to think that I could just find some guy with what you view as royal qualities to provide the Council with an heir …" She growled and clinched her hand into a tight fist. Her rage choked her momentarily and all she could do was gag.

"Highness, I assure you, I meant no disrespect –" Julia tried to say.

"Then you would not have brought up this distasteful subject in the first place! I do not know how you all view my marriage or any marriage in fact, but my relationship with my beloved is sacred! I will not cheapen it with some breeding project with nobles in order to conceive an heir! And what would happen when this one heir proved to be not the one you wanted? Am I to breed again and again until I get it right? I am not the Council's bitch!" she proclaimed, leaping out of her seat.

"Highness, I did not mean it that way. Through history, there have been some monarchs with your particular type of sexuality, where it is not fluid and they are not drawn to the opposite sex at all, but they were able to look at reproducing as much part of their job as monarch."

Ileana dropped back into her seat, scowling deeply. "They kept a stock of lovers? I will not be treated as livestock and I will not treat anyone as such. If the idea of carrying a child is the only thing keeping me from the throne, then the Council has already made its decision because I have made mine. I am with my mate, my wife, my lifetime companion. She is all I want and will have for the rest of my life. Is there something that you do not understand about this?"

Julia sniffed and shook her head. "I understand, Highness."

Ileana nodded and seemed to calm down considerably. She leaned back a little and took a deep breath. Her eyes drifted to her paperwork and then back to the Councilwoman.

"Look, I know you probably did not want the task of having this talk with me, but the Council more than likely pushed you into it as you have a much more open and honest relationship with me than most of them. I do appreciate your concern and your courage to come discuss this matter with me, but I am with Xol and that is not going to change. Even if, gods forbid, something were to happen and Xol should die, I will still be hers. I would live the remainder of my life as her widow. That is just how things are."

"It would be romantic if only it was not harmful to your reign," Julia sighed.

Ileana smiled. "I am sure that a hundred years from now, it will make a wonderful story," she remarked.

"I hope that it is not the end of your story. While I would love for you to produce an heir and ensure your reign, I would never deny you the full power of the monarchy based on this. I am just not sure how much of the Council would. I think you also need to be prepared because this is just what you uncles have been waiting for."

"I know. Anything that gives them an excuse to point out a flaw will be exploited, but I am not worried about them. I will handle them as I have handled them these past few years."

Julia nodded again because Ileana had handled her uncles masterfully over the years. Of course, she had help from her close executive advisers. Miss Olga and Yu especially delighted in thwarting Arrigo and Riccardo when they had some plot in the works. And the plots had ranged from brilliant to bizarre as time went by.

They were both sneakier than Massimo ever was. Arrigo had once hired several poor young men to form a gang and cause a rise in crime in the capital. He figured that the spike in crime would cause dissatisfaction amongst the people with their monarch. Of course, Ileana had an easy solution for the rise in crime, which was to hire more police. Most of the state guards were part-time until Ileana could find out why the crime rate had gone up so much. When she found out, it was easy enough to handle, but it left her close circle wanting revenge with Arrigo. They got their wish by turning the men he paid and helped those men con Arrigo out of much of his wealth. Even when he was lacking the funds, he continued to come up with things to make Ileana's life annoying.

Riccardo was less active. He had mostly taken to spreading rumors about Ileana, Xol, and everyone else in their inner circle. It was hard to stop the rumors, but the best they could do was show with their actions that the rumors were just that. He had, on occasion, done worse things, like trying to rile up the Council against Xol. He claimed that she was going to use the growing daijinn population to take over the country. Thankfully, most of the Council saw it as nonsense, but it did not stop him from trying other things.

"Highness, I think you should be prepared for tough times. Not just from this, but there are things brewing in the city, in the country," Julia said.

Ileana nodded dismissively. "I am aware of the tense undercurrent. When I find out what is the cause, I will handle it," she promised.

Julia could not argue against that because Ileana had handled any and every problem that came her way during her reign. She hoped that continued to be the case because then Ileana would somehow handle the fact that she had no manner to produce an heir and shut the Council up about it.

"Well, that was all I had to say, your Highness," Julia announced.

Ileana nodded. "Good day then, Councilwoman."

The older woman nodded and took her leave. Ileana sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. She leaned back and tried not to think about the complaint from the Councilwoman. She had never considered children. She had had dreams of them every now and then throughout her life; she supposed that came along with meeting the person she wanted to spend her life with so early in her life. But, she had never seriously considered a baby.

"No need to consider it now either. Xol and I both lack the proper equipment to impregnate the other," Ileana reminded herself.

Shaking the thoughts away, she turned her attention back to state business. She could not do anything about having a biological heir, beyond hope that Viktor had offspring sometime in the future. Now, the underlying tension simmering through out the country, she would handle as soon as she knew what that problem was.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol left the city and traveled the few miles down to the town named after her, thinking that the daijinn might have something that she could present Ileana with for their anniversary. Just like when she was in Basilinar, there seemed to be something off about the town of Xol. She was not sure what it was, but there was something.

"Hey, Chief!" almost every daijinn greeted her as she walked down the streets of the town.

Xol smiled and waved to most. She liked the town. It had a human design to it, since dajinn did not make it a point to live in towns, but the aura was definitely daijinn. There were just touches to it that let her know who owned the place, even when it was crawling with humans … which it currently was not. That was somewhat odd.

The town of Xol had been a real novelty to the humans of Chuachin since it was totally finished and up and running a couple of years ago. The humans seemed dazed by the lifestyle of the daijinn. She supposed because the culture was somewhat different, but also working its way into being part of Chuachinese culture that left the humans curious about them. So, in the daylight, mostly during the afternoon when the daijinn became active since they tended to be asleep during the morning, humans tended to wander the town, buying things, learning things, and just watching their daijinn countrymen. She had a feeling the humans still were not sure what to make of the daijinn, but then again, the daijinn did not seem to know much about the humans either.

"I wonder where all of the humans are," Xol muttered to herself. While there were some, it was not hundreds like Xol was used to.

She decided not to think on that and just search for something that her wife would like and let Ileana know that she still thought of her every day. Of course, she felt like a bauble should not have to say what her eyes and body language said daily, but enough of her inner circle let her know that she needed to get gifts on special occasions or else. She was not a fan of the "or else" since it involved a lot of lectures – all from people with no mates, she long ago noted – and she was not interested in being scolded by seven different people.

"What the hell does one get a woman that has everything, including a freaking country?" Xol scratched her head.

Nothing caught her eye, nothing jumped at her, and nothing screamed to her "Ileana!" She was at a loss and it was knotting up her stomach. She would not return home until she found something to present to her beloved.

"Chief, are you okay?" Rai asked, as he jogged up to her.

"Yeah, fine. Just anniversary stuff," Xol replied, waving him off.

"You look lost."

"Oh, I am. This anniversary stuff is getting beyond me. I didn't know being married meant giving a present every year on the day we got married. Who thinks of this stuff?" Xol threw her hands up.

Rai laughed. "It's to celebrate in your own way, just like we all celebrate because we're all happy that you two found each other."

"I don't see how giving a present or not giving a present enters into this. We could celebrate without gifts being involved."

"I guess that's true. Well, before you continue on your way, the town shamans were talking about finding you because they had something they wanted to discuss with you. The chief was supposed to tell you at that Council meeting a couple of days ago, Rai explained.

"I didn't go. There was trouble at the docks with some ships that I had to see to."

Rai nodded. "Well, do you think you could make time for them now? They've been itching to see you and Mei couldn't get them an appointment soon enough, especially since you don't seem to stick to a schedule."

Xol could not argue that one. It drove Mei crazy because she was never where she was supposed to be, unless it was by accident. It was not quite her fault. She worked better on the move while Ileana worked better sitting still. The best she could do was make sure to send Mei and Ileana a note, so they knew where she was and Mei could send people to see her. There were not many that would go out of their way to find her; usually only daijinn would.

"Come on. I need to get this done quickly as I would like to be home before nightfall," Xol said.

Rai nodded and they were off. The shamans had a hut near the edge of the town with enough land to keep some livestock and grow some plants that they used in their mystical practices. They knocked on the door before entering, being hit full force by whatever the shamans had cooking.

"Hey, I brought the Chief," Rai announced and three elderly heads turned to the door.

"Ah, the little goddess," the older male shaman commented with a smile.

Xol sighed and shook her head. "Ro and Kwen have you three doing that, too?"

"It took 'em long enough. The whole town has only been doing it for four years," Rai chuckled.

"Watch it, youngster." The female waved a branch at Rai, threatening him with either a spanking or a curse. Neither sounded pleasant.

"I'll leave the Chief with you. I've got business to attend to," Rai said and he made a hasty retreat.

Xol did not say anything as he left, knowing he probably did have plenty of things to do. She turned her attention to the shamans, who were placing things on shelves. She scratched her head and rotated her ears.

"Look, I don't have a lot of time to waste. I have to find my mate an anniversary gift, so whatever you need to say, you need to say it now," the Chief informed them, eyes drifting to the door.

"Our apologizes, little goddess. We were just cleaning up for the night and didn't expect you. We don't want these things in the way while we speak," the older male said.

"I will talk with you while they put everything away," the female said.

"Sounds good. What's up?" Xol asked.

"We have had visions and seen things to come. The images are mostly snap shots and they make little sense, but we wish for your mate to be protected and connected to the Moon God. While many daijinn quietly make snide remarks over your mate, we recognize that she and you have done more for our kind than anyone has in ages. Everyone has gotten so comfortable that they forget how we got here. Such a short memory." She shook her head.

"La, you're not making this fast. And who the hell has been talking about my mate?" Xol growled.

The shaman, La, waved it off. "It is just nonsense from some. It is nothing to get too concerned over. We just wanted to give you something for the Queen. It's a protective amulet against the visions that we've had. Something that will help her in the future."

Golden eyes narrowed. "What have these visions showed you about my wife? These people talking about her aren't going to try anything, are they?" she snarled.

"Little goddess, please, calm down. The visions are jumbled and strange. They might not mean anything, but we want to be safe. We believe that you and the Queen are and will always be good for our people, so we want to protect you both as much as we can. Our visions showed us good things, but they also showed us troubling things. In the end, we trusted what we saw and consulted the gods."

"And got the amulet?" Xol asked.

"We made the amulet. She must wear it to show her faith in the gods, in you, and in Fate."

Xol shrugged and held out her hand for the amulet. La retrieved a small leather pouch from a shelf and handed it over to Xol. The smaller daijinn bowed a little a sign of thanks, which earned her an arched eyebrow from La. Xol ignored that and left the hut to go back hunting for a present. She decided to look at the amulet.

The amulet was a delicate-looking and detailed bracelet. It was silver and linked like knots with sprinkles of onyx and turquoise, which were protective stones for daijinn. They were carved to look like symbols for Xin. From what Xol knew about the metal and stones, the amulet seemed to be set for the moon god watching over Ileana.

"I wonder if this counts as a gift," Xol mumbled. She hoped it did because if she did not see anything by nightfall, she was just going to give Ileana the amulet for an anniversary gift. _It's more important than any gift I could buy anyway as it will protect her_.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: as the couple and the country try to celebrate the Royal Anniversary, trouble rears its ugly head.


	28. 27: Divided

27: Divided

Xol was still in the daijinn town named for her, but she had given up on looking for a gift. Now, she was just taking in the sights to see how the community was doing and maybe find out about something that still had her curious – the lack of human tourists, as they were considered. The daijinn called them "gawkers" when they were not around.

"Hey, little goddess, I heard you were in town!" Ro called out as she trotted up behind the much smaller daijinn. "What are you doing around here, Chief?"

"Am I not allowed to visit the town? Everyone seems so curious as to why I'm here," Xol pointed out.

"We're not used to you just wandering around. Usually, when you visit, you have a reason. Actually, whenever you go anywhere, you have a reason. If you don't have anything to do, you tend to stay home," Ro pointed out.

"I was over here to get a gift for Ileana, but nothing caught my attention."

"Gift?" Ro echoed and then a sly grin came onto her face. "Oh, right, it's the anniversary again. Kwen was over here saying that he'd twist your ears off if you messed up."

"He was? He's got a lot of nerve. I don't see him with anybody in his life. He wastes most of his time when he's not working hanging out with you and drinking," Xol pointed out.

Ro shrugged. "We both lament into our drinks that we have no females, not from lack of interest mind you. Kwen enjoys playing around with whatever young thing will fall in his lap while I'm trying to find something a little more substantial. It's hard to find someone when my last partner was divine, though," she remarked with a sorrowful smile.

"Ro, I'm so sorry," Xol apologized, her ears flattening against her head.

Ro waved it off; her tail moved with her hand. "Stop saying sorry, little goddess. I knew what I as getting into for the most part. I knew you loved Ileana, but I thought I could replace her. Hubris on my part."

Xol shook her head. "Not at all, but anyway. Where are all of the gawkers? I thought humans couldn't get enough of this place. Have they figured out the daijinn puzzle by now?"

Ro shrugged. "Recently, some of the gawkers came in here and were starting trouble, so we kicked a lot of them out. I think that kept a lot of them from coming back. Good riddance if you ask me. Humans are trouble makers."

Xol's face scrunched up. "That's not true. I hope you haven't been telling the impressionable youngsters and immigrants that bullshit. Humans are the reason this whole town is possible, the reason we can settle in one place and build a damn community."

Ro glanced down, looking somewhat contrite. "Sorry, Chief. We know that Ileana has done a lot for us and we know not all humans are horrible, but the gawkers are annoying and getting worse. It used to be fine when they would come in and just ask us a million and one questions about why we're doing something. Sure, much of the time they were condescending about it, but it never went beyond comments. Recently, it's gone a little beyond that, though."

Xol tilted her head slightly. "How so?"

"There were a rowdy bunch of them in here the other day, drunk from the smell of it, and just screaming a bunch of obscenities. Nothing dangerous, but very annoying and loud. We had 'em out of here before they caused any real trouble, but it was not pleasant."

"What the hell? Why didn't you say anything?" Xol demanded. "Was Rai here? I just saw him and he didn't tell me that! Were Yu or Kwen here because they didn't say anything to me either!" she huffed.

"Calm down, little goddess. You have to let us protect ourselves sometimes," Ro commented with a smile.

"This is my job. I'm supposed to keep you guys safe and comfortable. I'm supposed to make sure this whole country runs smoothly. I won't tolerate humans coming in here harassing you, especially after how much we helped this nation. This is our home as much as it is theirs and they won't make you guys feel like anything less than the citizens you are," Xol proclaimed.

Ro smiled more. "I knew you would say something like that, but like I said, it wasn't a big deal. Just some drunken idiots. It happens every now and then because drinks do strange things to the brain. A few times, daijinn have been thrown out of human establishments after getting drunk."

Xol nodded because that was quite true. She decided to dismiss the incident with the drunken gawkers as just one of those things that alcohol does to people. She knew that some humans, no matter what, secretly held hostilities toward the daijinn and that were likely to come out after a few drinks. The same could be said of daijinn.

"Well, other than smashed idiots, what's been going on around here?" Xol asked.

"Nothing much. The new chief has been starting to talk about going back to our tribal roots in the sense that we pool together any money we have and use it for the whole town instead of individually," Ro replied.

"I can't believe he actually got elected chief. How did that even happen?"

"A lot of the new people thought he made sense. These are people that haven't been here since the beginning or near the beginning. Plus, some of the old timers that do feel that way and just held it in. You know, we're out numbered in town now."

"By how many?" Xol asked curiously. The census was coming up soon as Ileana now demanded one every two years now to know the population of the country, what areas were experiencing growth and decline, and what sort of taxes needed to be implemented and paid. It was a recent change from having a census done every year, but Ileana thought the country was stable enough now to handle one every other year. When the country was even better, she planned to set the census for every five years.

"We've just over five hundred adults in the town and almost three hundred of them are newbies," Ro replied. "Newbies" was the term they used for immigrants and pretty much anyone who did not understand how Xol operated.

Xol frowned. "We've got such impressive growth and it's just causing trouble," she grumbled. The whole reason the town had been built much larger than the original amount of daijinn needed was because they had hoped to one day have numbers like a real town, to have well over a thousand people living there. Now, they were halfway there and it was not a good thing.

"You want to do something?"

"Write me the next time there's a meeting. I need to hear this," Xol instructed and Ro nodded. "Now, I need to get home or Ileana will have my head."

Ro laughed. "Oh, married life."

Xol could only nod as she made her escape. She needed to get back to the palace before dark or Ileana would worry and then scold her when she got home for making the Queen worry. Xol would prefer to save Ileana the worry more than anything else.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana yawned and rubbed her eyes, trying her best to focus on her work. She had been having trouble concentrating that whole day, thanks to information brought to her by Councilwoman Julia Lindworm. She wanted to shake it off, but she could not. Glancing up, she noted that the sun was starting to set and she had barely done anything at all. Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to dive back into work. She did not want anything to pile up because there was always so much to do.

"Love, you don't want dinner?" Xol asked, causing the Queen to jump.

"Beloved! When did you get in?" Ileana countered as her breathing slowed down and returned to normal.

Xol smiled. "A while ago. I thought you'd be mad I stayed out so late, but you're wrapped up in work so deeply you didn't even miss me."

"Of course I missed you," Ileana retorted and she pulled her wife into a hug. Xol bent down to Ileana's level to return the embrace. "I always miss you when you're gone." She rubbed her nose in Xol's pale, warm neck. She then placed a loving kiss to the space that she nuzzled.

Xol purred. "I like being missed. Can you do that again, but some place else?"

Ileana laughed. "I wonder where else you would like me to kiss?"

The Queen pretended to ponder it for a moment, but then made a move for Xol's already puckered lips. They shared a tender, but brief kiss before pulling away. They climbed to their feet and went to dinner.

Dinner was the usual affair. There were plenty of inquires on what sort of celebration was being planned for the royal couple's anniversary. If it was anything like what happened in the previous years, it would go beyond the anniversary. Basilinar seemed to like any excuse to drag a party out.

Xol and Ileana found it funny that their anniversary was a huge holiday, even more popular than Ileana's coronation day, which was also celebrated on New Years. Even with that, their anniversary was still bigger and people tended to celebrate almost as if it were their anniversary, too. They got the feeling that it had to do with a lot of people felt like their wedding symbolized a new start for the country and the day that the country became whole. That was all fine by them. Anything that gave the people hope and helped them enjoy each other's company.

Once dinner was over, the royal couple retired for the night. They still typically met with their close circle at night for recaps of business, but they did not do it every night. It was agreed by everyone that the couple needed some time to themselves.

"So, what did you do for the day?" Ileana asked curiously as she dressed herself after their late bath. She did not wear much to bed, a silk slip and nothing more. The long nightgowns had been abandoned after Xol scratched through a few of them and the servants gave the Consort a scolding and judgmental looks for an entire month.

"Most of the stuff I already told you about. I went to Xol and ran into Ro," Xol replied as she crawled into bed, naked as usual.

Ileana almost frowned, but she held it in. "What did you and Ro discuss, beloved?" she asked as she walked over to the bed. She did not get in, looming over Xol for a moment.

"Just a little about the new chief that the town chose and how he seems to be riling up the daijinn. There was also the fact that some humans were getting rowdy in town not too long ago."

"Is everything all right?" Ileana asked with her mouth turned up.

"I'll look into it."

"Anything else?"

Xol shook her head and put her hands out, silently beckoning her spouse. Ileana did not disappoint and slid down onto the bed into her wife's arms. Xol then pulled Ileana into a loving kiss. When they broke for air, she found that Ileana was not done with her questions.

"What is with the new chief? I have only seen him in passing. When did they even elect him? Why did they elect him? Last I noticed, their previous chief was in fine health and working well," Ileana said.

"At a tribal meeting, there was a call for a new vote. If they call for a new vote, it's basically a challenge. In my tribe, a challenge came in the form of someone trying to fight me while in this tribe a vote gets you a new chief. Most tribes a vote gets a new chief. According to Ro, there were too many new members of the tribe for the older ones, the ones who liked the old chief, to win. Most of the new people don't understand what we have going here and they don't like all of the interaction with the humans and the mixing with the humans," Xol explained as best she could.

Ileana's forehead wrinkled. "That is one of the new founding principles of our nation. We're tolerant, especially of our countrymen. We've been through a lot and we know that we can overcome any problem as long as we stand together."

Xol shook her head. "They weren't here when we went through everything. These new daijinn have filtered in after the wars and the struggles to build villages and towns. They've only been here a year or two. They come from places where humans hurt them, enslaved them, and destroyed their families. Plus, there are daijinn here that don't care for humans or what we've gone through. They were just in the minority for a while. Now, they can speak up again because there are more people with that frame of mind."

"What can we do? Can you talk to them? Remind them how this country is supposed to be?"

"If not me, then Yu, Mei, and Kwen. I'll take them to the next tribal meeting. Try to do some damage control and change some minds."

Ileana nodded. "And what is this about humans creating a ruckus in the town of Xol?"

"Ro said there were some drunken humans shouting things in town not too long ago. I'm a little worried," Xol admitted.

"Why?"

"Earlier, I was in one of the smaller markets and there were some vendors there. Two of them were humans and two were daijinn and they were arguing over space. One of the humans was using some strong language toward the daijinn. They also claimed that the daijinn were countering with strong language of their own. I think this is the tension that we've been feeling. The country is doing better and now everyone is ready to turn on their neighbor."

Ileana sighed and shook her head. "Why is it never easy with people? We have a beautiful country and now they would like to tear it apart from the inside because of their prejudices against each other? I will not allow it."

Xol smiled. " _We_ will not allow it, love."

Ileana smiled, too. "Right. We will not allow it. Has Ro told you anything else?"

"Nothing too deep. We should keep watch, though. We don't want things to get really out of hand. What about you? How was your day?"

The Queen stiffened as she was mentally assaulted by her discussion with Councilwoman Julia. She wondered if she should share, but she did not think too much on it. Xol's hands coming up and cupping her face distracted her thoughts. Callused thumbs gently stroked Ileana's soft cheeks.

"What is it, my precious mate? What troubles you?" Xol asked quietly.

"I was told some upsetting news today," Ileana confessed.

"What was this news that has you so bothered?"

"Councilwoman Julia saw me earlier today and told me that the Council would be ready to grant me all of the powers of the Crown if I had an heir."

Xol's brow furrowed. "I don't understand what an heir has to do with your ability to rule."

"It is about making sure that there is someone to rule after me. The Council is fine with me, fine with me to the point that they would like my qualities passed onto another generation."

Xol nodded. "That's nice of them."

Ileana laughed and rubbed her spouse's head. She leaned down and pecked Xol on the end of the nose. The action got a smile out of Xol, even though she knew that she was missing something.

"What don't I get?" Xol asked curiously.

"They want me to have a baby, love. As in they want me to carry this heir. They want me to get pregnant as soon as possible I would gather since they have less than a year to decide if they want me to rule this country for the rest of my life or if they want to go in another direction."

"Well that's stupid. You could always adopt an heir. Viktor might have kids. He has been seeing one of his teachers, you know?"

"No, I did not know! How do you know that?" Ileana demanded with a happy smile on her face. She poked her wife in the side.

Xol squirmed and giggled. "He spoke to me and Kwen about it. Well, first he spoke to Kwen, who thankfully brought the little guy to me. It only just started. He said he'll tell you if it gets serious."

"Do you think it will get serious?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know her well. You should ask your mother. Lucia keeps up with the teachers and school workers. She might know the girl. But, the point is, Viktor is growing up and he'll more than likely get married and have kids in the next few years. Why should it matter if your heir was carried by you or one of his kids? Isn't it just about royal blood?"

Ileana shook her head. "No, it is about personality, too. The Council seems to very much like many of my qualities and I think they feel those can only be inherited through blood rather than taught. I am not sure if that is true or not, but it does not matter. I would never be with anyone except you."

Xol grinned. "I know."

"So, we will have to wait and see what the Council decides."

Xol's face scrunched up again. Ileana took the quiet moment to settle into bed, resting against her wife as she usually did. Once she was comfortable, she reached over and smoothed her beloved's wrinkled brow.

"What is it? I told Councilwoman Julia that I would not allow the Council to treat me like a horse. She actually suggested that I pick a noble with good qualities and have a baby with him while keeping you. Like I would have a harem of men to give me a baby," Ileana huffed.

Xol frowned. "I don't think that you could treat others like horses, let alone yourself."

"No, I would not be able to. Now, what was on your mind? You were obviously thinking of something."

"I was just remembering something that Mei once told to me. You know how Mei knows a lot of daijinn stories, religious and otherwise, right?"

Ileana nodded. "I know she likes to regal you with all of her tales and you listen intently. I think it is rather adorable."

"Between you and Mei, everything I do is adorable. Yu would never say anything like that because he's seen me on the battlefield. I am not adorable."

Ileana squeezed her wife tightly. "Continue what you were saying, adorable."

Xol snorted. "Fine. I was just thinking about a story involving the moon god, Xin, and two female daijinn. The two daijinn were mates and very faithful to the gods. They offered up prayers and sacrifices whenever the occasion called for it. They were happy for a while, but then they saw that all of their friends and family were having babies. They wanted a baby, too. So, they prayed to the gods and offered as much as they could without harming themselves. They promised all they could to the gods if they could only have a baby together. The sun goddess was surprisingly unsympathetic. Xol felt like the two should be happy with each other as the sun is happy with the moon."

Ileana chuckled and smiled. "I am very happy with my sun."

"I am also happy with my moon, but Xin felt like the couple were not asking for too much. The Moon believed that all mates should be allowed to have children if they desire to because wanted children are more likely be raised in a positive environment and do good things when they grow up. Xin also preaches that if you show your devotion to him then he will reward you as long as you show your devotion through good works as well as prayer. These two mates were just that and Xin decided to answer their prayers."

"So, these two females just had babies out of nowhere?" Ileana asked.

Xol shook her head. "No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. They had to do a ritual to prove their faith and show their dedication. I'll have to ask Mei for the details, but the point is that eventually one of them got pregnant and they had a baby."

"Are you sure this was due to the god and not the woman going off and cheating on her mate?" Ileana inquired in a skeptical tone.

Xol blinked. "Cheat on her mate? A serious mate could no sooner cheat on their spouse than they could sprout wings and fly."

"Well, it's a nice story and all, love. I think we should go to sleep. It is a big day tomorrow, after all."

Xol knew that she was being brushed off, but she did not bother with pointing it out. Her wife was under stress and it was just a story, even though Xol felt like she was hinting at something. She just was not sure what she was really suggesting. _Maybe the moon god would bless us if we prayed and showed our faith. Stranger things have happened and his mate did bless me. Maybe that counts for something_.

The smaller woman shook those thoughts away and decided it was best to just go to sleep. It was a big day tomorrow. They had to deal with their anniversary celebration, which included a now traditional public appearance, eating at a popular restaurant, and just dining with whoever could fit in the place. Despite still being uneasy around people, Xol actually liked that aspect of their anniversary because she was learning to talk and interact with typically polite people.

So, Xol cuddled into her wife, resting her head on top of Ileana's crown of thick hair. Ileana was already asleep that quickly. She was obviously exhausted.

-8-8-8-8-

The morning was a hassle that Xol could do without; and she was certain that Ileana felt the same, but the Queen hid it better. They were being dressed to the nines for the holiday by several servants. Lucia and Miss Olga were there, supervising as far as they were concerned, but making things worse as far as Xol was concerned. If either of them told another servant to pull anything tighter, Xol would run screaming and never look back.

"Look, no matter how much you tug, I'm still thicker than most noblewomen, so let's just call it a day," Xol suggested to the pair of servants doing their best to cut her in half at the waist with her teal and golden sashes.

Ileana chuckled. "Beloved," she pretended to scold her love, just for the sake of the servants.

Xol turned her mouth up, but did not respond. She was so thankful when they were free to go that she seriously trotted out into the hall, gently tugging her wife with her since Ileana was holding her arm. The couple had breakfast with almost every noble that could make it to the capital as well as the Council, daijinn chiefs and Councilmembers were included in the meal.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, as it had for the past three years. All of the guests made a show of the gifts that they brought with them, but those would not be open until suppertime. They were just gathered in the morning to make it easier to get to them all later. Ileana and Xol exchanged polite words with those that wandered by, but no one expected them to talk for long because there were so many people wanting their attention.

"Is that Viktor's teacher?" Ileana asked in a low voice as she nodded slightly toward her brother.

Viktor was sitting at the far end of the royal platform. He had grown into a tall young man and had easily discarded much of his Fleurizan heritage. He wore his jet black hair short, which was something a Fleurizan would never do while in Chuachin, only women and daijinn apparently wore their hair long. He also made sure to keep his face free of any facial hair beyond the essential eyebrows and eyelashes.

Ileana was proud of how her brother had grown. He sat up tall and stood the same way. He had come into confidence all his own in working with his sister's government. He gave off an aura of a man pleased with who he was and Ileana felt he deserved that. As much good he did socially, Viktor could hold his head up high forever as far as his sister was concerned. He had opened dozens of schools all over the country, both elementary schools for basic learning and universities for higher learning.

"Yes, that is his teacher," Xol confirmed, speaking of the young woman sitting with Viktor.

"Is he going to introduce us?" Ileana wondered aloud, sounding almost anxious.

"Let him eat first, beloved."

Ileana sighed, but decided to let that happen. It turned out to be good advice. Viktor came over as soon as he and his lady friend were done eating. Viktor blushed as he introduced his sister to her Ladyship Kara Gyoni.

"I am pleased to meet you, your Highness," Kara said in a strong voice as she bowed, hiding her large green eyes briefly. Her sheen mane of chocolate hair swayed as she moved her head.

"The pleasure is all mine," Ileana replied.

"Xol, this is Kara. I was telling you about her," Viktor introduced his sister-in-law to the noblewoman.

Xol looked into Viktor's eyes and knew that something momentous was coming up. She extended her hand for Kara and noticed the young woman hesitate. Xol wondered if Kara was bothered by daijinn, but that did not last long as the young woman grabbed her and smiled brightly at her.

"Forgive me, Consort. I have heard so many tales that I was not sure if it was proper to touch you. They say you are divine, they say you are a demon, and Viktor was trying so hard to assure me that you were actually quite mortal and very humble. I am honored to meet both of you," Kara said.

Xol smiled as did Viktor and everything seemed right in his world. Ileana urged the young couple to sit, so that she could get to know Kara. Xol added to the conversation occasionally, but she still was not much for talking. She watched the crowd mostly, making sure everything was fine. Often, her gaze fell onto Arrigo and his wife. He had recently gotten married and Ileana was sure that it was political. Unfortunately, neither she nor Xol could figure out what Arrigo was up with getting married.

Breakfast was finished and it was time to go outside for the massive celebration. The people wasted no time with the usual flowers, incenses, and other items. Food was everywhere and Xol, as well as Yu, Mei, and Kwen, felt like they owed it to vendors to sample everything; they paid, of course. There was a free concert at the theater and several plays showcasing the great things done by the Queen and the Consort. Then there was lunch.

It was Ileana's pick for the restaurant, as Xol had gotten the chance to choose the year before. Xol had gone with a noodle place while Ileana wanted to try a new restaurant that specialized in stews and fresh bread. It was a huge establishment that was supposed to cater to the wealthy, but today everything was on the royal couple, so people who would not be able to afford it were able to sit down that day and enjoy.

"We have to come here again," Xol muttered as she sipped a mutton stew. She dipped her bread in it and actually moaned as she feasted on the bread.

"I agree. This is delicious," Ileana said before taking another careful spoonful of her fish stew.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time, sharing conversation along with the wonderful food. And then something went wrong. Ileana and Xol were not sure what happened, but there was screaming coming from the other side of the room. Looking over, they saw a table flip and four daijinn were barking at some humans. Kwen, Yu, and Mei were up in an instant and over to the incident just as quickly.

"What the hell is wrong you, youngsters? How dare you come in here on this happy occasion and embarrass the fucking Chief like this!" Kwen screamed as he stared down the four daijinn.

" _Those goddamn humans keep talking shit!_ " one of the daijinn hollered, pointing over to the humans.

"Hey, why don't you stop speaking that shit and learn a real language!" a human declared.

"Whoa!" Yu held up his hands. "Excuse me, but how about you leave this to us or you leave altogether?" he told the human and then turned his attention to the daijinn. "And, yes, you four have a lot of nerve. This is a day to rejoice over the union between the Chief and the Queen as well as the balance and union of our country. This is a mark for all of us coming out of the dark and into the light. If you want to live in the dark, then you get out of this country. We are not here for this. If you cannot be proud of having a country, having a land, and having leaders that care, then get then hell out of our nation," he growled.

The daijinn gulped as Yu glared at the group. Officers came right after and escorted the daijinn out of the restaurant. The mood inside the restaurant was changed into a somber, down atmosphere and Arrigo took that moment to make matters worse.

"I suppose there is a reason most countries do not want jinn being citizens. It is clear that they cannot handle it, much like a queen that seems to think she can rule without securing her place by having an heir," Arrigo commented, as if those two things were related. "Well, at least I can be trusted to carry on my good genes," he added as he patted his wife's abdomen.

Ileana frowned as there were more arguments now, over her uncle's use of the word "jinn," over Arrigo lumping all daijinn together with the group that was thrown out, with daijinn talking about how judgmental humans were, and, of course, how Ileana was unable to have an heir because she was married to a woman. There was no salvaging the meal as much as Ileana and Xol tried, so they just paid for everything and left.

-8-8-8-8-

"How dare Arrigo announce his wife is pregnant like that? As if that will get him the throne," Ileana huffed as she paced the royal bedchambers. It had officially been the worst holiday ever after lunch.

"Beloved, calm down. You know it won't get him the throne, so don't worry about it," Xol implored her. She wanted to pace with Ileana, but those long legs had discouraged her before five minutes had been up.

Ileana took a deep breath and turned to her mate. "What was that at lunch, love?" she begged with large hazel eyes.

"I don't know. The daijinn and the humans seem like they're preparing to eat each other alive. Maybe it was just young foolishness."

Ileana sighed. "I am not so sure."

"Hey, it'll be fine. You've kept things together this long and you'll be able to do it. I'm here to help and so is everyone else. This is just a hiccup. How about we exchange gifts? It'll make you feel better."

Ileana looked skeptical, but decided that it might work. So, she retrieved her gift and Xol did the same. They both sat down on the bed and handed over their presents. Xol opened hers first and grinned as she saw that Ileana got her comfortable shoes. They were ornate and beyond her tastes, but the padding was the thing that mattered.

"Thank you so much. I know you always want me to wear shoes, but all of the shoes around here bother me," Xol said as she put on her new footwear.

"I know they do, love, which is why I went and ordered the most comfortable slippers possible. I also had the soles reinforced, so when you decide to go wandering in the forests, you do not tear up your shoes," Ileana explained.

Xol chuckled and wiggled her toes in the very comfortable footing. Shoes did not last long with her because she did make a lot of trips into the forests for various reasons. She wondered how long these would last.

"Oh, this is beautiful," Ileana said as she pulled out the amulet that Xol decided to use as a gift. She got a necklace to match it.

"Yeah, they're both supposed to give you the moon's protection. Maybe if we pray to Xin, he'll give us a baby and you won't have to worry about Arrigo," Xol remarked and she got a surprising reaction.

Ileana's expression completely fell. "How could you even suggest something so foolish? Two women cannot have a baby and you know that, so why do you insist on pushing this stupid myth as if your gods are vaguely interested in our lives? Gods do not care what mortals do! They interfere only when it suits them and nothing we are going through right now would suit anyone, considering the fact that our own people do not even care! So, please, keep your nonsense to yourself!"

Xol's ears sank into her hair and she was not even sure how to react, not remembering the last time her mate had seriously yelled at her. Tears gathered in her eyes and she whimpered. The noise seemed to get through to Ileana, who closed her mouth briefly and took a breath.

"Oh, god. Xol, love, I am so sorry," Ileana apologized and pulled her wife into a hug. While Xol did not push away, she did not return the embrace and she silently cried.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the aftermath of this mess.


	29. 28: Humble pie

28: Humble pie

Xol had cried herself to sleep, mumbling apologies to Ileana while Ileana held her. The tears were already tearing Ileana in half, but the apologies hollowed her out. The Queen knew that she should have been the one apologizing. She had bitten her beloved's head off for simply trying to make her feel better, so now she felt worse. Her country was trying to rot from the inside out, her uncle wanted her position, and worst of all, she had made her wife incredibly sad. _I actually made my beloved cry! I'm awful!_

By the morning, Ileana did not get much sleep and the little she did get was tormented with sounds of her mate crying in her arms because of her. When she woke up, Xol was awake and staring off into space. Ileana held onto her wife tighter as if begging for forgiveness.

"I wish I could give you a baby. I wish we could have a baby. I'd pray to the Moon for it, but he would not answer the wish of one when two are involved. We'd have a family. Maybe a little girl. You'd be a really good mother and I think I could manage as a parent," Xol whispered.

"You would be great, as you are with everything else you apply yourself to," Ileana said.

Xol sighed, almost as if her mate had not spoken at all. "I think we'd love our children just as deeply as we love each other. We would make sure they feel all of the love and attention that we missed out on as children. It would've been great. I'm sorry for toying with that idea, though. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Love, please, you do not have to apologize anymore. I was the one in the wrong. You were just trying to help. I am the one who is sorry. Now, how about we get up, have our bath, and enjoy the day?" Ileana proposed.

Xol nodded to that, even though they both knew that enjoying the day would be rather difficult. Times were rough in their country now that the daijinn and the humans decided that they could not get along. She loathed to think about it, but she refused to let it get out of control. She was not going to let anyone tear apart the wonderful thing that she and Ileana built and were still trying to build.

-8-8-8-8-

After breakfast, Ileana went right to work. First things first, she had Shei moved into a garden because the cat had grown very fond of her attention. He would pester her while she was trying to work, which would be fine as long as she did not have tons to do. _Hopefully, I can go get him after lunch or Xol will get him, so he will not whine when he finally does see us_.

 _Now for work_. She had proposals in one pile, laws in another, requests, and tons of other things that she needed to get through. For some of the items, she was micromanaging because she still had trouble delegating, but she was learning. In between the piles of paperwork, there were brief meetings with whoever was lucky enough to put Mei in a good enough mood to schedule the person in. One such fortunate person was a Councilman.

"Councilman Montez, how good to see you," Ileana lied. He was one of her least favorite Councilmembers. Mostly because he seemed to like straddling the line of supporting her or supporting her uncles. She preferred it when the Councilmembers chose clear sides, so she knew who to openly disregard.

"Highness, thank you for seeing me," the Councilman said with a bow. His eyes quickly scanned the room for Shei, who Ileana was now regretting was in the garden.

"Yes, it is no problem. What can I do for you, sir?"

"Well, your Majesty, I know you do not have a lot of time, so I will be blunt. It is time for you to end this farce of a marriage. Yes, the Consort has done plenty for this country, but it is time for you to secure your power. It is time for you to marry a man and have an heir," he stated.

Ileana growled. "Listen to me carefully, I am tired of hearing about this nonsense. I have serious issues to deal with and none of them involve me leaving my beloved. So, you can show yourself out," she hissed. _I am calling for Shei if this is going to be the subject of my meetings. Perhaps he will eat some unlucky Councilmember_.

"Highness, you should reconsider. The people are tired of having the daijinn around. Getting rid of the Consort would not be too difficult, even though she is somewhat popular. The people would understand, considering the trouble daijinn have been causing."

"There is nothing to understand! The daijinn are people of this nation, too, and my beloved is just that! I love Xol and would not leave her for anything, not a man, not an heir, not for all of the power of the crown. Understand that," the Queen stated. "Now get the hell out of my office."

The Councilman frowned. "Highness with all due respect, I do not think you wish to speak to me in that manner when your uncle is not only married to a proper noblewoman, but she is also pregnant."

"I said all that I have to say."

The Councilman pushed away from his chair, making sure to do it as loudly as possible. He then stormed out of the office, slamming her door in the process. Ileana did not even pay him any mind, nor did she pay any other Councilmember that showed up that day pestering her about either having an heir or finding a husband to then have an heir or dumping Xol, and all other variations.

She did have Shei brought back in, but amazingly enough, his presence did not cure the Councilmembers of their rudeness, even when he growled at them. She supposed that they finally figured out that she could not have the cat attack them while she was trying to get them to bestow the full power of the crown on her. They figured out that she needed them. _For now, anyway_. But, it still left a sour taste in her mouth.

Making the day worse, she heard about a fight between some daijinn and humans at one of the markets in Basilinar. Officers got to it before it got out of control, but it was clear that things were more than likely going to get worse. She needed something done to calm the people and remind them that they were all in things together.

"I will have to ask Xol to speak with the daijinn … if she's not doing that already," Ileana muttered as she noted the block scrawl of her wife's hand coming through on the communication parchment she kept on her desk. Apparently, Xol was going to Xol and she had borrowed Mei while she was at it.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol slipped into the town meeting hall with Yu, Mei, Kwen, and Ro behind her. The hall was packed and the chief was talking. Xol frowned before she even knew what he was saying, but she was able to focus as she and her group stood off to the side, trying not to be noticed. The chief was standing in front of the hall, which was set up like a lecture hall to make sure everyone heard what was going on.

The chief was a tall, broad older male. He had grey hairs streaking through his black and blond locks. His voice boomed through out the room and his thin, feline-like tale thrashed behind him, making his whole body seemed angry.

" _Fellow tribesmen, it's about time for us to realize that we need to go back to our proper way of living. These humans keep showing us that they don't want us around and we don't want to be around them. Not to mention, that so-called Consort, we know that she's nothing more than a pet to the Queen. You could see that from just yesterday when the humans are bothering us at the restaurant and the so-called Consort has us thrown out! How can we call that dog 'Chief' when she won't try to protect us? She'll serve us all up as pets for these humans and they know just where to find us! We're sitting ducks here and already halfway pets for the humans! They come here looking at us like we're on display for them, in a little glass case! She will sell us down the road, just you wait!_ " he bellowed and there were actual applauds to that, which shocked Xol's crew.

" _You seem to know a lot about what the Chief is going to do. It's almost like you live in her head!_ " Mei remarked loudly with a laugh.

" _If nothing else, you certainly live out of yours_ ," Ro added with her own laugh.

" _How dare you interrupt!_ " the chief hollered as he turned his dark blue eyes to the group.

" _Well, because, one – it is an open forum_ ," Yu pointed out as he started stepping down and the group followed, but Xol remained where she was.

" _Two – you don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about_ ," Kwen spoke up.

" _Three – the shit you are talking is, well, shit_ ," Ro said.

" _And, four, and this is a big one, the Chief has done so much for us that it allows you to talk this shit you're talking_ ," Mei finished.

" _And just what do you youngsters know of it?_ " the chief demanded with a snort.

" _Well, first off, we know that the Chief is divine. She was hand chosen by the goddess Xol and has proven to be an excellent pick. You questioning her is almost like questioning the Goddess herself. She's mated to the Queen, who may will also be divine if her marks mean anything, and they've both been nothing but good to us_ ," Ro proclaimed.

" _She's a bitch for that foul Queen and that alone should have her barred from the tribe_ ," the chief countered and he earned more claps for that.

Xol growled, knowing that she needed to step up now, but speeches were not her forte. She was much more adapt at beating things up. But, she would be damned if she allowed anyone to talk about her mate!

" _Say what you will about me, but you will not disrespect my mate, the woman that made this possible!_ " Xol roared, showing off sharp canines that seemed a bit longer than usual. The crowd seemed shocked as they turned to her.

" _Well, if it isn't the pet!_ " the chief chuckled.

" _You mock me and ridicule the woman that gave everyone here a safe haven, a country to call home, and rile them up against the people willing to share their land with you. You're ungrateful children! You want to talk about me, fine! I'm used to daijinn being brats, but I will not let you stand here and make my wife seem like the bad guy when it's you leading idiots to a cliff and calling it salvation and they're stupid enough to jump!_ " Xol snarled, storming down to the center to glare at the chief up close.

" _You see how she speaks of you? She thinks that she's a human when she's really just a pet and our own kind have the nerve to call her divine!_ " the chief scoffed.

" _I call 'em how I see 'em. I'm not pretty with words like my mate. I'm not as patient as she is either. I'm not interested in keeping people here that don't want to be here. This country doesn't need people like you or those that think the worst of the place. Please, by all means, leave! Go back into the world and wander everywhere looking for the safe place that you left! Leave the place where your children can grow up free, educated, well fed, and not preyed upon by scavengers. Leave the one place that guarantees that your village will not be burned to the ground! Leave the one places that's put you in chains and pull your reins every damn chance they get! Go find some place better, I dare you! Go find a better home than what you have here!_ " Xol declared, turning to the crowd and glaring at them.

" _You act like you know what our people need, but you know nothing at all. You would turn your back on them for that human bitch in a second, wouldn't you?_ " the chief screamed down at the Consort.

Xol tensed and it seemed like flames popped off of her fingertips. " _You've insulted my mate several times in less than five minutes. Like I said, I don't know sweet words, but I know combat. If you insult Ileana once more, you will see how skilled I am. I promise you that_."

" _Be careful. The goddess' blessing goes beyond her ability to make flames that fire envies, but she also has incredible strength, especially for someone her size_ ," Mei remarked, shaking a finger at the chief.

The chief frowned. " _You think this little thing is so great, but she stood by as we were thrown out of the celebration yesterday_."

" _You were causing the trouble. Don't try to make this less of what it is. I don't know what you think you're entitled to and I don't know what the hell those following you hope for, but all you're doing is ruining a good thing_ ," Yu stated.

" _What's good about being looked at like fish in a bowl?_ " the chief demanded.

" _What's good about being hunted like animals anywhere else? What's good about being less than a dog everywhere else? The humans come because most of them are curious. They don't mean any harm. They wander our streets as we wander theirs. Who here has never gone into the city and just watched, trying to understand the way humans work? But, a better question would be, where will you go to and be treated as well as we are treated here? Where else is there a permanent daijinn town? Forget the fact that this country has thirty such towns! Tell me where the hell else you would find one!_ " Yu countered.

" _There is no country like this in existence. Is it perfect? No, but the Chief and the Queen are working on it. They're always trying to improve and uplift us. How about you work on it instead of against everything and trying to tear everything down because you know what? Your hate speech, your condescending attitude, it mocks all of the hard work we poured into this place and continue to pour into it_ ," Mei said.

" _It mocks the young people that died for this place. Do you even get that? People died to make this happen! This was built on blood, human and daijinn alike!_ " Kwen barked.

" _And when those people met the gods, they were able to tell Xol and Xin that they died following the couple that the gods chose to bring us into this great country, which none of you will be able to say when you die_ ," Ro added.

The chief bristled at the unified attack and focused solely on Xol. " _You think these thugs frighten me?_ " he scoffed and rolled his eyes. " _You can't even speak for yourself!_ "

" _I can speak and I will make it very plain: if you don't like it here, leave. This is not your land or movement to hijack. No other place in the world is a daijinn a citizen of a country with the same rights as a human, yet you complain? Cry your tears in a ditch. I am here for all those that want to be here. I force no one to stay. I make towns for those who want to be here. I make space in the Council for those that want to be here. I make war with those that threaten my mate and my nation. Do you know why? Because my nation is my tribe and my tribe is my family. Therefore, my nation is my family and I don't let anyone disrespect my family. You got a problem with that? I'm right here_ ," Xol stated, motioning to herself.

" _And what would you do?_ " the chief demanded.

" _Well, I could call for a new vote right now, but I refuse to impose on the tribe's right. I could destroy you and force a new vote, but I am not in the mood for violence. I will leave it at this, if you dislike how this country is run, you have until the end of the week to leave. If by the end of the week, you are still here then you are in agreement that this is one nation and there will be no more separatist talk. If you wish to be your own tribe, living in the woods, you are free to do so. But, you will not ruin the dreams of so many because you happened to show up whenever everything was better and you can't stand that things are good. I will not cater to the whims of spoiled brats_ ," Xol proclaimed.

" _Then you would let the humans push us around?_ " the chief demanded.

" _If the humans come in here, acting rowdy and out of order, leave it to the state guards to arrest them. They will spend time in the dungeon, just like any daijinn that does the same. We have laws to protect citizens. Why don't you bother learning them?_ " Xol suggested. " _You have all the rights that humans have, so stop whining and do something with them_."

" _You say that, but we've never seen it!_ " someone in the crowd yelled.

" _No? Then you haven't had your eyes open. What do you think gives you this town? Rights. What gives your children education? The right that every citizen in Chuachin is entitled to a free education until the age of ten. There are universities that your children or even you can attend because you have the right to do whatever a human can do. What makes sure you don't come in and get snatched off by outside forces? The Chuachin guard and army protecting you because you have a right to live here without the fear of being stolen and sold off. If another citizen wrongs you, you have the basic right to seek justice against that person using a court in town as well as several in the Capital to hear your case. Where else can a daijinn bring suit, let alone against a human?_ " Xol inquired.

" _Not to mention, the country has the five basic rights of citizens that I had everyone of you read or read to you before you decided to become a citizen and not even a year after we had all settled in did the Queen add five more basic rights for all citizens to enjoy_ ," Yu huffed. " _You're going to act like that never happened? If that is the case, you are all liars_."

" _And we have no use for liars_ ," Mei spoke up.

" _So, is this all to be our fault?_ " the chief asked.

" _No, it's not your fault, unless you keep preaching hate and separatist philosophy. We want this country to work. You're not helping it work. You pretend that everything is miserable here, but tell me what is miserable about Chuachin compared to the outside world? What does the outside have that Chuachin does not for daijinn?_ " Xol asked, directing her question toward the crowd.

" _Chuachin isn't perfect!_ "

" _I never said it was and if you want it to be, then that is your illusion, not mine. Nothing outside the Heavens is perfect_ ," Xol remarked seriously.

" _You say we have rights, but you're basically telling us to stop complaining or get out. Complaining is a basic right we signed on for_."

" _Oh! You mean you paid attention to that! Now, all of a sudden the rights exist!_ " Yu scoffed.

" _You can't invoke your rights and play the victim card at the same time saying you don't have any rights, so cut the shit_ ," Kwen snorted.

" _Listen, this is not about trying to take away your rights. You have the right to say whatever the hell you want as long you don't mess with anyone else's rights, which you're doing by trying to ruin things for all daijinn. You can't have it both ways. You can't complain that this is the worst place you've ever been, but then start invoking rights. You want the rights, then you accept what the country is about. You don't like the country, then you must not like the rights as they go hand in hand and you can get the hell out_ ," Xol stated.

" _It could be worse. She's giving you that choice. You could live in a country where saying what you said about the Queen would get you executed and talking back to her mate would get your family executed_ ," Mei pointed out.

" _You live in a country that has a long way to go, but it has come a long way. I won't let you take it off track. I won't let you mock the hard work of others, especially those that died for this. So, again, you either accept what we have or get the hell out. And whoever wants to try me, please do_ ," Xol growled and then surprised everyone by flaring her blessing over her whole body.

The whole audience jumped back and gasped while the chief almost fell over. The flames were gone once the chief regained his footing. Golden eyes glared at the chief before turning and calmly walking out. Her team followed her, listening to the mumbles from the people. They knew that Xol's display of power would be the talk of the town for days more than her argument with the chief and way more than her words to them.

"Now, I thought you only used the power to defend and protect people," Kwen remarked with a smartass smirk.

Xol snorted, frowning at him. "That was for protection, protection for our country and this tribe. How can we let new people show up and dictate our hopes and dreams? They didn't build this. Their blood, sweat, and tears aren't in this. They don't have a right to destroy it, even if they think they do. They can go fuck up someone else's dreams."

Kwen chuckled. "Hear, hear."

"I hope you get over your anger before you get home. You know the Queen won't be happy to hear you talking like that, Chief," Mei remarked with a smile.

Xol nodded because it was true. "Let's walk around a little more. Seeing everyone active will help."

No one disagreed. They all had a soft spot for the town and loved seeing what was going on. It made them feel accomplished and it gave them hope for better things. They had all been a part of something much greater than themselves and would remain around long after they died. They had made a mark and as they watched daijinn going about the town without a care in the world, they knew that it was well worth it.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana sighed and rubbed her eyes while forcing down the urge to push everything off of her desk. Of course, clearing the desk would not make her feel much better, but then she imagined clearing the desk with a purpose. If only she could be clearing the desk, so that her beloved could ravage her on it. Unfortunately, that thought was short-lived as she knew that Xol probably would not touch her for quite a while because she had mocked and yelled at her love last night.

"Stupid," Ileana hissed, frowning in disgust.

"Well, that is not a very nice thing to say about one of my favorite people," Lucia remarked from the doorway.

Ileana's head shot up at the sound her mother's voice. "Mother, what brings you by?"

Lucia held up the tray in her hands. "Lunch."

"Mother, you did not have to bring me lunch. You could have had a servant carry it here. I know you have just as much to do as I do," Ileana protested. Shei was up, sniffing around Lucia, who ignored the cat.

"Honey, no one has more to do than you do. I did not have a servant bring it because I knew you would leave it to sit. Unless someone forces you to eat while you are working, you will not eat. So, since Xol and Miss Olga are out, I decided to pick up the slack as they say," Lucia remarked as she moved across the room and set the tray down on the table by the wall. She put a platter down for Shei, so the cat left her alone. "Now, come, sit with Mother and enjoy lunch."

Ileana sighed, but it was hard for her to pass up an invitation from her smiling mother. She moved from her desk to the table as Lucia shifted the many dishes around. Lucia also poured them drinks and they began to eat. It was silent for a while before Lucia decided conversation was in order.

"So, why are you doubting your intelligence and insulting my favorite daughter?" Lucia asked with a smile.

"Hmm? Oh, it was nothing, Mother. Just stress," Ileana lied.

"No, stress is what is causing the little lines between your eyebrows and frown tugging at your lips. The 'stupid' comment was related to something else entirely. Now, let's discuss the issue and perhaps we could come up with a solution," Lucia proposed.

Ileana sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "I … I … I blew up on Xol last night and it has been gnawing at me since it happened."

Lucia nodded. "Did you apologize?"

"Of course I did. I apologized several times. I made her … I made her cry," Ileana admitted with a tense, disgusted frown. She growled. "I made my beloved cry. I am no better than every other human being she has met now."

"Ileana, one argument does not drop you to the bottom her favorite person list or send you to the top of her most despised."

"No, but it makes me rocket to the top of my most despised. How could I yell at her? I mean, yes, her idea was ridiculous, but I did not need to yell at her," Ileana muttered, shaking her head.

Lucia's brow furrowed. "Her idea? What are you talking about?"

"For the past couple of days, today especially, the Council have been badgering me about having an heir. How I do that has depended on who has brought it up. Councilwoman Julia suggested I find a good nobleman with acceptable qualities and breed. Others have not been so kind and basically ordered that I divorce Xol and marry a man to give me a baby. Some have gone so far as to leave lists of 'acceptable' candidates and others have just told me that they are sick of the daijinn and want Xol gone."

Lucia nodded again. "And you told Xol about it?"

"I told her about Councilwoman Julia. I had no idea it was as serious as it was until today when about a quarter of the Council showed up, acting as if this is urgent news. They want to keep me on the throne and want my genes to carry on and some seem to like me, but not her." Ileana snorted and rolled her eyes in a way that was so graceful, her mother had to smile.

"I have to admit, you have done an excellent job leading the country. I do not know why some would not want Xol as she has also done an excellent job, but I am certainly proud of you. I did not think our family line would ever leave a positive mark until you and Viktor showed up. So, what did Xol say that upset you enough to yell at her?"

"She told me a story," Ileana answered and she recounted the tale that Xol told her about Xin and the two female mates that wanted a baby. "Pretty ridiculous, is it not?"

Lucia took a moment to eat some of her food and then she giggled. Ileana arched an eyebrow. Her mother was not agreeing as she had hoped.

"What? Why are you looking like that?" Ileana asked because her mother was smiling, as if amused.

"Well, for you to think that is ridiculous is rather funny," Lucia confessed.

"And why would you say that?"

"Because you are married to Xol. I will admit, if you told me this story and I had never met Xol, I would agree with you. But, you are married to a woman that most call divine. If you described Xol to me, I would think that she was ridiculous. A daijinn that is shorter than most humans who can shot fire and is so connected to you that her tattoos appear on your body? Insanity. In fact, the more I know about Xol, the crazier and more impossible she sounds. She can destroy armies and call forth the power of the sun. It sounds beyond impossible. Yet, Xol exists. Not only does she exist, but she exists with the blessing of her god. Why is it so hard to believe that her gods do more than dole out fire-wielding abilities and matching, growing tattoos to those they decide to bless?" Lucia inquired.

Ileana opened her mouth, wanting to counter that, but she had nothing. Her mother made a point. Almost everything about Xol was just as ridiculous as the legend that Xol told the other night. But, her scolding was just as ridiculous. How could she say that the gods did nothing when it was clear that the sun goddess favored Xol openly and often?

The Queen rubbed her forehead. "So … I am an ass."

Lucia chuckled. "I would not say that much, but I think you owe your wife a much more sincere apology. You might also want to hear her out. If she is talking about her gods blessing mates, then it might be something you want to open yourself up to. They have obviously blessed you both already. You found each other, you have the means to give her a better life, and she has the means to protect you. While I know you both got here by hard work, it also seems like you have had a little protecting hand over you. Just think it over."

Ileana nodded. She hated that she had been so easily put in her place, but she was fine with it, too, because she would be able to mend things with her spouse. The thought put a smile to her face and she was able to eat comfortably with her mother as their conversation drifted to things somewhat less personal.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana grabbed her wife as soon as Xol was back in the palace. She hurried them off to their bedroom, where she knew they would have the most privacy. Xol was not sure what was going on, but she could tell Ileana had something important to share with her.

"All right, love, before anything else I would like to apologize to you again. I was rude and condescending toward you when you were trying to help. I was also wrong for belittling your contribution because if nothing else, your gods have been there for us. Your idea was not silly. It was brilliant and I was too upset to consider it," Ileana declared.

Xol blinked. "Do you mean that?"

"I do. My mother pointed out how ridiculous I was for discounting your thoughts. By my reasoning, your existence is impossible, but you do exist. Our bond exists. Our marks exist. There is something larger than us and maybe whatever it is has grander plans for us than what I can even imagine. So, your thinking was great. It was my thinking that was flawed."

The smaller female smiled. "So, does this mean you would like me to ask Mei or the shamans about us having a baby?"

Ileana chuckled. "I think I would like you to make the inquiry, yes."

"Then I will. But, you have to know that this would never work if you did not have complete faith. You have to believe."

"Xol, you know I am not very religious, but I have faith in your gods. So far, they are the only gods I have seen signs of. So, I do believe. I have faith."

The smile that light up Xol's face could have rivaled the light from the sun. "Then, we shall have a baby, my goddess. And, we shall make excellent parents."

Ileana laughed, but smiled just as brightly. "Yes, we shall."

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Xol goes to find out the ritual from the shamans and runs into trouble in the town of Xol.


	30. 29: Blooms and wilts

29: Blooms and wilts

Xol found herself going to the town of Xol yet again with Mei by her side. Mei refused to leave her alone after she had gone to the taller female earlier that morning asking more about the story involving the Moon, the two female mates, and their baby. Mei might not have gotten curious if only Xol did not press her for the ritual the females had to do before one of them was carrying a baby. Suddenly, Mei was asking the questions until Xol grunted and admitted she and Ileana figured that they would try it. Mei then decided that they needed to go see the shamans for the exact ritual since she only knew the legend and not the truth.

"Hmm … this place definitely seems less peppy than it was yesterday, huh?" Mei remarked. There was a somber aura in the air. Everyone that they passed, though they greeted the Chief, they seemed down for some reason.

"Perhaps it means the poison blood is leaving," Xol said.

"Stop wishing out loud. You'd never get rid of these people that easily. This is paradise, even if they want to complain about the humans. We've always got food, got land, got business, got rights, got warm homes, and we got protection, not just from the tribe, but from the whole country. Nowhere else can we get that."

"I know."

The pair went through the town greeting almost every person they passed. Xol loved the activity in the city. They were always industrious, moving business, working with livestock, repairing or making items, going to school, going to work, or just about anything else. They would never be able to do it so securely anywhere else, even if they had their own wandering grounds there would always be the threat of humans attacking. Usually, the town actually had a relaxed vibe to it because there was no threat of genocide or slavery.

"Hey, La, Lee, Ha," Xol called into the shamans' hut. The three of them were sorting through baskets of flowers, roots, and other natural items that they used in their practice.

"Chief, to what do we owe the pleasure? Especially after you neglected to tell us you would be displaying your awe-inspiring powers yesterday," La remarked with a smirk from her space on the floor.

"It wasn't a meeting for you three since you don't have a problem with anything," Xol pointed out.

"Well, that's a broad statement, but for the most part we are fine with things around here," Lee commented dryly. He was a middle-aged daijinn, going grey at his temples. He was probably a sight when he was younger from being stacked with muscle, but now the muscle had turned into a potbelly.

"So, what can we do for the little goddess? Did you deliver our amulet to the Queen?" La asked.

"I gave it to her that day. I don't think it's working, though. She's way stressed out," Xol replied as she sat down before the shamans. Mei sat down behind her.

"The amulet wasn't for that. But, it's good that you gave it to her," Lee said.

"I won't even bother to ask what it is for then. I don't have the mind for this type of stuff," the Chief sighed.

"Yet here you are. What do you need, little goddess? We want nothing more than to serve our dear leader," Ha said with a kind smile. She was the oldest of the three and an Elder of the tribe. Her hair was totally white without a hint of what color it used to be. Her frame was hunched, but she still towered over Xol when they stood up.

"You don't have to lay it on thick, Ha. I know you three are not only supportive, but you'd break your backs to help me succeed, which is kinda why I'm here," Xol stated.

"What do you need?" Lee repeated.

"The humans on the Council have been pressuring Ileana to divorce me and marry a man to have a baby. She refuses, of course," Xol explained.

"Because she is your true mate. The calm Moon to your fiery Sun," La said.

"I know and she knows, which is what she keeps telling them, but they don't get it. Plus, Ileana and I talked about it and we thought it would be great if we could have a baby. Mei told me about how the Moon once gave children to mates who had faith and hope, but there's a ritual to perform. I need to know what we have to do," Xol informed them. They all nodded.

"We were wondering when you would get to this point. It happened sooner than we thought," Lee commented.

"Well, it came up because in less than a year the Council has to decide if they want to keep Ileana and I as the sovereigns of this country or go with someone else. If they're pushing this baby idea, it's something that will ensure this. Plus, Ileana's uncle is going to have a baby and it might sway the Council into giving him a five-year trial period. But, most important of all, we think we're ready to share our love. We could raise a child properly. I think it would be beyond special to share a child with Ileana," Xol proclaimed shamelessly. The three shamans smiled.

"Well, first for this to work, you both would have to have faith in the Moon," La pointed out.

"We do. We both do, even though Ileana is a human, she says that she believes in our gods more than her own. So, what after that?"

Ha nodded. "Then comes the ritual. Who will carry the child? Have you considered that?"

"Ileana would. There has to be no dispute that it's her child," Xol answered.

"There are spells and exams to prove the child is of both of your blood," Ha pointed out with a wrinkled forehead.

"I know, but humans are less likely to believe our ways than their own eyes and they will see Ileana pregnant. A human doctor would be there to deliver the baby and they'll be able to have that as proof the child is hers. If daijinn require proof the baby is mine, then we have the tests to follow back on."

Ha smiled. "You've thought long and hard on this, I see."

"We talked about it for the whole evening and through the night yesterday. Now, all we need to know is how to go about it."

"It is a very old ritual and I don't think it's been used for many moons. Hundred of years might have past since the last couple to try and fail," Ha stated.

Xol shrugged. "That doesn't mean it won't work now."

"I know the ritual, but as I said, it's been hundred of years. The one that was passed down to me might not even be the true ritual. That could have been lost to time," Ha pointed out.

"We won't know unless we try," the Chief countered.

All of the shamans smiled. "Your faith in the gods is one of the reasons we stand by you. Of course, your being proof that the gods exist doesn't hurt either," Lee remarked.

"I will tell you. I will tell you all, so that if this is true, it is known. And if it is false, it is known, too. We could have Yu add it to his library if it is correct, so that it will last for future generations and not be corrupted by old memories," Ha declared.

"That's very generous of you," Mei said as she took out her notepad to take notes.

"No, it isn't. I owe it to our tribe and people to keep our knowledge and rituals alive as best I can. Spells and the like should live on well after me. After all, they will do me no good in the afterlife," the Elder pointed out.

Xol nodded. "What do we do if this isn't the right ritual?"

Lee waved that off. "If the ritual isn't correct, then the three of us consult with the gods if they allow it and pray they give us the knowledge we seek."

"And how long would that take?" Xol inquired.

"There is no set time."

That sounded long to Xol. "Hopefully, things won't come to that. What's the ritual you know, Ha?"

"First, you must go into the forest and find the Moon's favorite flower. You will pray before plucking it. You will spray it with blessed water before plucking it. You will replace it with the Moon's second favorite flower after you pluck it," Ha began. La went to retrieve the blessed water and handed the bottle to their Chief.

Xol's brow furrowed. "But, what is the Moon's favorite flower?"

"You know it in your heart. After you get the flower, you will bake it into small cake, which you will coat with honey. You must also put at least a drop of your blood in the cake. You must then hand it to the Queen and no one else is to touch it. The Queen will eat it. All of it. That night before bed, you will go to the garden and plant the seed of a moonflower. You will then be with the Queen and repeat this ritual every day until the Moon sees fit to bless you with a child," Ha said.

"Will I know it worked before Ileana looks like she's smuggling goods under her sash?" Xol asked curiously.

"Your moonflowers will grow and blossom that night and be gone by the morning. Their fallen petals will be your evidence. If the flowers do not grow, then you must keep at it. But, you are a young and virile and I doubt it is such a chore you to be with your mate," Ha remarked with a smile.

Xol smirked. "No, this is not a problem."

"Try to be with her as often as possible then. It is just a like when a man and a woman try to have a baby. You have to put the work in, little goddess."

"I will," Xol insisted.

"Then we wish you luck. It will indeed be a new order, a new era. As you know, a human and a daijinn mating is so far fetched that most daijinn do not believe it can be done and if it is done most view it as unholy. Now, it is hard to argue with you as you have been marked by the Sun, but should you pull this off, then the Moon obviously gives his blessing to you, too, and it is incredibly hard to get the Moon's blessing for anything beyond basic intelligence. There has never in the history of existence been a baby between a human and a daijinn. There are no stories, no legends, no myths. It has never happened before. It would show that you are both chosen by the gods and no daijinn would ever dispute that as the Moon would never do something the Sun was not in favor of," Ha explained.

"Go with our blessing and watch over the Queen," La ordered as she waved an incense stick in front of Xol.

"Good luck," Lee chimed in and sprinkled her with some dust. He made the sign of the Sun on her forehead. Afterward, he made the mark of the Moon on her throat.

"I won't rest until it's done. I won't let Arrigo steal Ileana's dreams. Besides, I would like a family with my beloved," Xol said softly with a gentle smile.

The shamans nodded and Xol left with Mei right behind her. Mei thought that they would go back to the palace, but Xol went off into the surrounding forest. She found a fallen tree and made it her perch. Mei stood beside her.

"What are we doing, Chief?" Mei asked curiously.

"What's the Moon's favorite flower?" Xol inquired, scratching the top of her head.

"I don't know. I know there are a lot of flowers that bloom at night, which pleases the Moon, but I don't think the god has a favorite. Xin likes many things of this world and has many favorites, but no flower comes to mind."

Xol nodded. "Yeah, I couldn't think of one and the shamans didn't tell us one, even though they're eager to help. I feel like it's a trick."

"How is it a trick? Seems straightforward to me, actually. Find the Moon's favorite flower and start the ritual."

"Then why when I asked about the Moon's favorite flower, Ha said I would know in my heart. That's a trick answer."

Mei scratched her head. "I guess. Want to hit the library? You need practice reading, anyway."

Xol growled and frowned, but she knew that Mei was right. Besides, she could handle some reading if it meant being able to get her wife pregnant. They made their way back to town and to the growing daijinn library. Yu was still in the process of collecting any and everything he could from daijinn culture that he felt needed to live on; several others had joined him in his quest. The library at the moment took up as much space as a shop, but it was over several floors. Every floor had shelves and shelves of books. The pair picked a corner and started researching.

The researching was going nowhere and boring Xol out of her mind after a few hours, but they kept on. They were distracted by loud shouts and drunken laughter. Going to a window, Mei frowned at what she saw.

"Humans, pushing around some kids," Mei reported.

Xol actually jumped out of the second story window as soon as Mei finished talking. Mei chuckled and followed; the second story was not very high to an average sized daijinn. Xol fired on the screaming teenage humans, not aiming to hurt them, but to get them away from the trio of toddlers they were taunting. The teens hopped back.

"What the hell?" one of the human boys said right before Xol landed in front of the children.

"You want to taunt people smaller than you? Taunt me," Xol dared them with a snarl tugging at her lip.

"Hey, it's a midget," a second boy remarked, pointing at the Chief.

"Whoa, no!" a third boy smacked the second on in the head. "That's the Consort and she's a demon or something!"

"She's the goddess!" one of the toddlers actually barked and all three little children glared at the humans, as if they knew to be beyond upset at the disrespect to their Chief.

"I'm mostly pissed that you would come into town and try to do anything to children," Xol snarled and she snorted. Everyone around was certain that thin flames came from her nose. The humans gulped.

"Consort, we meant no harm," one of the human girls dared to utter.

"You meant no harm? You're harassing and frightening children! You're lucky I got here before their parents did or we'd be scrapping you off the cobblestone!" Xol roared. There were more flames from her nose and a small flare from her mouth. "Now, you should hope there'll be enough of you left to send home to your own parents."

"It was just a bit of fun," the first young man said, teeth chattering. The teens all seemed to be trying to merge, as if that would save them from a fiery death.

Xol growled again and Mei stepped forward. "Guys, stop talking. You're not helping your case. Just go off with the officers or you might not be able to go off," Mei warned the teens.

The light burning in Xol's eyes told the teens that leaving was the wise decision, not that they were given much choice. While the teens focused on Xol, several large daijinn state guards came up behind them and clamped them in basic irons, which were held closed with a bolt. The teens were dragged off and only when they were out of sight, in a cart being taken back to the capital, did Xol calm down. By then, the street was crowded and the parents had collected their children.

"Let's go find Ro," Xol ordered.

"She's coming," Mei replied, pointing ahead of them as the warrior female cut through the mass of people.

"What the hell happened, little goddess?" Ro asked.

"Stupid teenagers happened. Look, I want more guards around here if things are going to be like this, but I'm going to get human guards. Give me a list of former soldiers that you liked and I'll get lists from Kwen and Yu also. I want the daijinn to see that not all humans are idiots and there are humans willing to protect the town and them," Xol explained.

"Consider it done, boss," Ro replied.

"Actually do the list as quickly as you can and give it to Mei. Mei, if you see Yu and Kwen before me, get their lists," the Chief ordered and her assistant saluted. "I need to get home. I want to tell Ileana about this and I want to get Yu and Kwen started on this fast." Xol started walking off. Her only farewell came in the way of a wave.

"Was it bad?" Ro asked Mei.

"Children. Probably no older than four and there were seven human teenagers scaring them to death. I don't think the little goddess is going to take any chances," Mei replied.

Ro nodded. "It's good. It shouldn't get like that. Why are the humans getting this way? We served in the army together, fought a war together, and helped make this country. That doesn't count for something?"

"I think the people harassing the town aren't soldiers. These are probably people that easily forgot how bad things were four years ago. They forgot how we got to where we are. It's like the daijinn who weren't here for all of the trouble are the ones complaining the loudest and causing trouble. But, don't worry. You know the little goddess and the Queen will set it straight. They haven't led us wrong, right?" Mei remarked, tickling herself with her wording.

"This is true. We need to be there to support them, though. I'll gather all of those that are behind the goddess and the Queen and try to talk things out. Yu will probably help as soon as he finds out what's going on. He picked a hell of a day to check on the daijinn vendors in the capital." Ro snorted.

Mei chuckled. "This is what happens when you wear many hats. You can't be every place at once. Except the little goddess. I haven't yet seen proof she's not omnipresent."

Ro laughed, too. "And the Queen is omniscient. They are the perfect pair." Mei could only nod in agreement.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol returned home and found Ileana alone in her office, hunched over her desk. Ileana was clearly tensed, obviously having another trying day. Xol smiled to herself as she settled in behind her wife. She moved Ileana's hair over to one shoulder and began a light massage. Ileana groaned in delight, causing Xol's smile to grow. She leaned in, planning to kiss her beloved's neck when she noticed the mark at the base of Ileana's neck. The tattoo of a circle that was half darkened in made her blink before she followed through with her idea. Ileana moaned at the touch of her wife's lips.

"You're all tight in the back," Xol commented.

"I have been going out of my mind with Councilmen coming in. One actually suggested I, and I quote, 'jump his son'! Can you believe it? Telling me to jump his son," Ileana snorted.

"Did you let him know that if his son were to come within smelling range of you, I would be cutting his testicles off?" Xol asked quite seriously.

"In much more elegant terms, yes. Luckily, Mother had taken Shei out by then or I would have let the cat devour him. Did you find out what you needed to know?"

"I have found out several things. Are irises still your favorite flowers?"

"Of course, my little iris," Ileana remarked, using the pet name that had been long forgotten.

"Any specific iris?"

"Any one will do. I like that they are all so unique."

Xol nodded. "I thought as much. I'll have to go out again in a little while, but for now, expect to eat a cake I have to bake tonight."

"I suppose I should be thankful that you can cook."

"Years in a kitchen will do that. I haven't really baked much, so I'm going to have Fry supervise. After that, before we go to bed, we have to plant moonflower seeds. I should be able to get some from the market."

"If you told me what this is means, it would not make sense to me, would it?"

Xol shook her head. "Makes no sense to me, so I can't really explain it. Before we start any of this, though, we have to believe in the gods. You're seriously in this, right? You're not just humoring me."

Ileana turned around to look her spouse in the eye. "Beloved, I am in this beyond a hundred percent. Every mark on your body and mine tell me that your gods are there. Tells me that your gods are there for us. I have the utmost faith in you and in them."

Xol grinned. "All right. Then, I will get everything we need." She then nodded more for herself than anything else. "Next, while I was at Xol, teen humans came in. There were seven of them, screaming at three very small children, threatening three very small children. I'm going to put more state guards in the town, human guards."

"Sounds proper. Do you want to hire more?"

"Yeah. I'm going to get some former soldiers. Human soldiers, just so the daijinn see that not all humans are assholes."

"Good thinking, bad wording. Stop doing that. Your swearing has actually affected me. I have sworn twice in as many days."

Xol let out a pearl of laughter. "I would've loved to see that. I think it might have made me hot," she remarked.

The Queen snorted. "Well, it will never happen again."

Xol chuckled and then kissed her mate's neck again. They enjoyed each other's company for a few more minutes before Ileana had to get back to work and Xol had to go out to find some flowers. Thankfully, she had charged Mei with the task of getting Yu and Kwen to give lists of soldiers for her to look at later because she had a feeling that she would be out for a while.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol marched into the palace completely covered in mud. She growled at anyone that dared to approach her, especially servants with towels. She made a beeline for the rabbit pens out in the gardens. The pens were full of different types of rabbits, whose fur and meat helped keep the country afloat in a small way. Fry barely batted an eye when the Chief appeared before her looking like she was rolling around in one of the many nearby bogs.

" _Do I wanna know?_ " Fry inquired calmly, sparing Xol a glance before turning to tend to the rabbits. She spoke in her native tongue since it was actually easier for her and any daijinn around.

"The closest place to get irises around here – the Aura Swamp. There are spots in that swamp deeper than I am tall. I almost drowned in mud," Xol snorted and dirt bubbled out of her nose.

" _You gonna tell me why?_ "

"It's a long story, involving the gods, Ileana, me, and the want of a baby along with flowers and baking."

" _Why is it that you never make sense when you go about something on your own?_ "

The younger female shrugged and tried her best to explain what was going on. Fry started smiling halfway through the story. By the end of the story, Fry was on her feet and tugging Xol toward the nearest kitchen.

" _Get me a grandkid!_ " Fry grinned.

"Then you'll really be an elder," Xol laughed.

" _I'll take it for a grandkid!_ "

It was too easy to laugh, even while covered in mud. Xol cleaned up somewhat before she went to bake the cake. She did not want to risk getting mud in anything and thus ruining the whole ritual. Fry pummeled the iris that Xol brought back into a fine powder while Xol prepared the other ingredients. The powdered flower was put into the cake batter along with a few drops of Xol's blood and then the cake was put into the oven. Xol cleaned off properly with time to spare as the cake finished. She put honey on it, wrapped it up, and then went off in search of her spouse.

" _You better not screw this up, pup! I want that grandkid!_ " Fry called to the small retreating form.

Xol barely heard as she rushed to her mate's office. It was a long shot, but Ileana might still be working. Thankfully, the rushing paid off. Ileana was putting things away from the evening, undoubtedly ready to go to dinner. The Queen smiled when her mate entered.

"Love, I was just thinking of you. I drafted a few laws I wish to discuss with you before taking them to Council," Ileana said.

"We can do that later. Right now, you have to eat the cake." Xol held up her bounty as if it was the precious thing to ever exist.

"Right now?"

"Yeah, I don't want to risk anything going wrong. So, eat the cake," Xol insisted.

The odd, anxious behavior of her spouse caused Ileana to chuckle, but she did as ordered. She took the small cake from Xol and bit into it. She groaned as she chewed and Xol frowned.

"It doesn't taste good, huh?" the Chief asked.

"It has a strange taste. It is not so much bad, but just weird," Ileana confessed, but she definitely ate the whole thing.

"Yeah, I figured putting the powdered irises in it would probably make it taste weird."

"I think that is it, but I will eat this cake and any other cake that you have to make."

Xol nodded. "What's say we skip dinner and plant these moonflowers and then … well, do other things with our mouths and hands that involve eating and planting in other ways."

Ileana blushed and laughed at her wife's remark, but she nodded all the same. They rushed off for their chambers; Xol had to jog to keep up with Queen, who was doing her best to walk elegantly, but briskly. Once they were in their bedroom, they ordered any servants out. As the servants hurried to do as commanded, Xol went out to the veranda and looked into the garden outside their bedroom.

"Where do you want to plant the moonflowers?" Xol asked.

"Somewhere that they would get a good view of the moon," Ileana answered as if it was the most logical answer in the world. The way Xol smiled said it was. They moved quickly.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana seemed to float down to the mattress, her hair fanning out underneath her. A heated gaze coated her hazel eyes as she watched her wife stalk her from a few feet away. Her body burned from the sight, remembering what Xol could do to her as the smaller woman slowly approached. Ileana reached out for her spouse, tugging Xol to her.

They met at their mouths, lips caressing each other and tongues loving each other. They both moaned and Xol's hands wandered on their own accord, slipping through Ileana's sashes and releasing the buttons and ties on her gown. It seemed like a million and one things kept her mate from her, but Xol took care of each and every one of them without breaking their kiss. As soon as Ileana was free, pale hands devoured her soft body as much as they could before Ileana moved them aside to attack Xol's clothing.

"I need to feel you against me, beloved. I need your skin, need you touch," Ileana groaned in dire need.

Xol could not even speak, she could only nod in agreement. Ileana quickly, but gently stripped Xol of every piece of clothing that was between them. Once Xol was bare, Ileana pulled the heavier body onto her, moaning loudly, wantonly at the press of warm flesh. The sound was enough to get a groan out of Xol, who started a fresh kiss that had her spouse holding on for dear life.

"Don't let go," Xol begged as Ileana clutched her shoulders.

"Never," Ileana promised while hooking her leg around Xol's waist.

Xol growled as she felt Ileana's desire against her own. She wanted to take her time, wanted to draw it out, but they had all night. She kissed Ileana a third time, hissing as her mate shifted her hips against her, silently begging her to press forward. Xol held herself up on arm while the other moved to sweetly fondle her beloved. Ileana groaned as she felt Xol's fingers ghost across her wanting skin.

"Please, love," the Queen implored, breaking the kiss.

Xol did not verbally respond, moving her lips to trace Ileana's jaw with light kisses and then down her throat. Ileana whimpered and moved as her hands and hips did her pleading for her, clutching Xol and grinding against her. The movement was so delicious that Xol moaned as if she was enjoying a fine meal. A fine meal that she knew needed to be savored as well as devoured.

Xol's hand settled on Ileana's heaving breast as her tongue traversed Ileana's body to meet it. Her hand kneaded the ample mound while her tongue set to occupy the center gem. Ileana moaned loudly and shamelessly, breathing just as loudly as she arched into the sinfully talented touch. Xol teased her, swirling her tongue around the pebbled treasure and earning more moans. She rewarded the pleased sounds by loving the gem with her tongue and lips. She treated its twin to the same delight.

"You taste so good, Ileana. You taste beautiful, wonderful. I think I get drunk off of you," Xol whispered, as if she were telling dark secrets before turning her attention back to Ileana's cleavage. "I definitely get drunk off of you," she decided, talking around a very happy nipple.

"Take as much as you like, drink in all you want," Ileana replied in between heavy pants. Her back remained arched and she pushed her pelvis against Xol again, getting a groan out of her beloved.

"Oh, believe me, I intend to. You're dinner."

Ileana could only groan, especially as Xol's hand slid lower. Ileana's breath hitched in anticipation and she cried out at the first most intimate touch. Xol gently ran a finger the length of Ileana. The Queen could not help grinding into the finger, wanting more, so much more.

"Wait," Xol hissed.

"I don't wanna," Ileana groused as she wiggled her hips.

"Your wish is my command."

Xol did not waste anymore time. Her thumb pressed against Ileana's pleasure center while her lips tugged at one of Ileana's nipple as two fingers made themselves at home inside of the Queen. Ileana screamed and bucked, almost knocking Xol off balance.

"Oh, god, baby, right there," Ileana purred.

It was in that moment that Xol realized how needy Ileana was, which in turn made her realize how needy she was. It was only under desperate circumstances that Ileana would ever call her "baby," so she knew her mate needed the connection. The simple fact that she could not disengage herself from Ileana's nipple told her that she needed it just as much.

Ileana whined and bucked, getting Xol to increase her pace. As her fingers worked Ileana, dragging her higher and higher, Xol could only switch from left to right on her breasts. Marks were inevitable as her lips revered both peaks. Ileana tasted divine and she wanted more, but just could not move, so she made due.

"Oh, please. Please, please, please," Ileana began to chant as her body moved even faster, feeling the fire inside of her building. She wanted it to burst, so she clutched Xol tighter and practically slammed her hips against her beloved's body.

"I'll take care of you," Xol promised and she curled her fingers, which was more than enough, but she also made circular motions with her thumb.

The scream that Ileana let out left a ringing in Xol's sensitive ears and she feared that someone might actually rush in to check on them. Ileana would miss that because she was suddenly snoring lightly. Xol blinked in disbelief.

"I definitely neglected her if that knocked her out," Xol muttered, shaking her head.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana opened her eyes, realizing that she had been asleep almost immediately. Blinking to focus her eyes, she turned to the light blur that was her wife. She offered Xol an apologetic smile.

"Sorry that I fell asleep," Ileana said.

"Don't worry. You haven't been out more than ten minutes. At least I don't have to ask how it was for you," Xol remarked.

Ileana grinned. "No, you certainly do not. How was it for you? Too fast? You never moved."

Xol chuckled. She knew that Ileana was referring the fact that her mouth stayed at chest level. Usually, Xol's mouth would have moved further down and her hand would have kept Ileana bouncing bits occupied.

"It was perfect. I didn't want to move. Hell, I couldn't move! My mouth was stuck and very pleased with being there," Xol proclaimed with a happy grin.

"It feels like it has been so long since we have been that connected, that intimate," Ileana sighed.

"Agreed. I feel like I've neglected you."

"No more than I have neglected you. We let work get to us and when we are together, it is more out of duty or trying to relax than the simple joy of being connected like this was."

Xol nodded. "We have to do this more often."

Ileana smiled, knowing where her wife was going. "How often?"

"I'm thinking right now and until we both pass out and every night after."

Ileana would have laughed at that predictable answer if Xol had given her a chance. Instead, Xol attacked with her lips and hands, pulling Ileana onto her. They moaned at the contact and it was clearly going to be a long night.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: more civil unrest and the results of the Moon ritual.


	31. 30: Pray

30: Pray

"What the hell is going on?" Xol demanded as she shoved her way to the middle of a huge brawl in the center of the market. She had no problem pushing back the combatants and frowned when she saw it was once again humans against daijinn.

"They need to get the hell out of our country!" one of the humans shouted, pointing over at the daijinn.

"It's our country, too!" one of the daijinn countered.

"Nobody wants you dogs here anymore!"

"Fuck you!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I think we all need to cool down or things might get hotter than any of us want," Xol warned them and they got the implications. "How the hell did this even start? And one at a time, please!"

"These guys came out of nowhere and, fucking wrecked our whole section!" the daijinn said, pointing over to the humans.

"They stole from us earlier! Goddamn thieving dogs!" a human countered.

"Hey, watch the names. I happen to be one of those 'dogs' if you missed the ears and tail," Xol pointed out and her tail trashed.

"We didn't steal shit from them. They just came over to us accusing us of stealing and then they tore the whole section apart, searching for something we didn't have."

Xol glanced over at the humans. "Is that true?"

"They stole from us, Consort. We had witnesses," a human insisted.

"Witnesses? Sounds like you had a case you could've grieved in court, but you chose violence over common sense. You don't have the right to destroy their property based on suspicions," Xol stated.

There was a loud scoff somewhere. "She would say that. She's one of _them_."

Xol's ear twitched because that voice sounded familiar. She turned to the source and spotted a Councilman, one that backed Arrigo. She then scanned the crowd, looking for Arrigo or any other known supporters of the man. She spotted a few more and frowned. _Is he behind this unrest or is he just using it to his advantage?_ She would look into it after she took care of the current situation. She decided to have everyone involved sent to jail for the day to let them cool off and think about what they accomplished, namely nothing.

"Remember, we are all citizens here and we all have to follow the laws, no matter the circumstances," Xol told the troublemakers as the state guards took hold of them.

With that out of the way, Xol went about her day. In the past month, violence between humans and daijinn seemed to be on the rise. There were already four fights in the city and even with the increased number of officers in the town of Xol, humans still harassed the daijinn there. She was thankful that the daijinn had cooled down to a degree since she spoke to them, but they were not going to stand for being pushed around, especially in their own town.

Of course, there were still some daijinn that caused trouble just because they were bad eggs. They were not making things easier, but many more responsible daijinn tended to stay on their cases when a stay in the dungeon did nothing for them. She and Ileana had to figure out how to quell the hot heads of both races.

Thankfully, from what she and Ileana could tell, the rest of the country was not experiencing as much unrest. In most places, the daijinn villages and the human villages were separate completely and most trade took place through traveling merchants. Nowhere else in the country did daijinn and humans mix like in Basilinar and the town of Xol. Of course, the royal couple hoped that the country would be more integrated in the future, but if being voluntarily separated kept the peace and kept the rest of the country from acting like everyone in Basilinar, the couple would take that for the moment.

Thinking of her lover, Xol quickly gathered items that she needed from the market; she needed more baking materials. She had been gathering irises, baking cakes, and feeding them to Ileana for a month now. Ileana was clearly sick of eating the cakes, but devoured them just the same. Xol was pleased that Ileana had never once grumbled or mentioned giving up. In fact, Ileana made sure that Xol did her part, asking her every morning about flowers and baking materials.

"Come on, Xin, please give us this child. We have so much love to share," Xol silently prayed.

Both Ileana and Xol had taken to praying a lot more often. Typically they prayed by their moonflower garden, which had not blossomed at all. Every now and then, they went to the daijinn shrine in the Dragon Square, which draw plenty of attention. Of course, most people did not know what to make of Ileana going to a daijinn temple, so there were all sorts of wild stories from both humans and daijinn alike. Ileana had decided to do something a little different that day and she had taken time out of her schedule to go to the Great Temple. Xol had wanted to meet her there, but they were not sure if time would permit it, so they agreed to meet up at home as always.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana kneeled in the Great Temple, lighting ceremony candles and then dipping her fingers into holy oil. She rubbed the oil on her palms before doing something that she had not done in a very long time – she prayed to a human deity. She had plenty of faith in the daijinn gods, but after a month of nothing, she felt a desperate need to connect with another god that seemed to have more compassion and wisdom than she could recall of the Fleurizan god.

"Blessed God, who apparently has no gender in Chuachin culture," Ileana said, trying to keep a straight face. She thought it was telling that the god worshipped by her new home had no gender and also no face because God was everything and everywhere according to the Chuachinese. "I know I really have no right to be here. I am not religious by far and the only gods I truly believe in are the one's my wife worships. But, I am in deep need here and I think we both have a common goal. We both want the best for this country and our people. I will do my best to carry on all of the traditions of this nation that are there for the good of the citizens as well as add new traditions to promote peace and tolerance between our people. I feel as though you would approve as I have been told that you are a kind, good, compassionate, and benevolent god. You have no name, face, or even body unless you will it so because you are connected to all. I know I have no right to ask for anything, especially since you are not really involved because we rudely did not think to ask for your council in this matter, but perhaps you could speak with the god in charge of the whole process. My beloved and I wish to have a baby, which is virtually impossible as she a female and so am I. Legends suggest that if she and I have enough faith in the moon god Xin then he will bless us. Perhaps it is not inclined to work because I am human, but I still would like to believe that Xin will bless us since we have been marked and are clearly approved by Xin and Xol. I am not sure if there is more that we are supposed to do, but I request that you help in any way possible if we do need to do more. Please."

Ileana then waved her right hand over one of the candles; a Chuachinese ritual that marked the end of prayer. She washed the oil from her hands and went to return to the palace. There were things to do, after all.

Once she returned home, she noticed that there was a slight commotion in one of the smaller gardens. At the center of the mess were her uncle Arrigo and his wife, who was starting to show her pregnancy. Over a dozen Councilmembers, who were hanging onto Arrigo's word, surrounded them.

Ileana knew that nothing good was going on, but she would find out about it later. She knew that her uncle was making a political push, trying to get his chance on the throne. _It will be an extremely cold day in Hell before I let him run this country into the ground_.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol entered Ileana's office with the daily cake, which Ileana ate. Xol sat down behind Ileana and offered her a massage, kneading Ileana's tense shoulders. It started simple, but then Xol included her lips and tongue, which pressed light kisses to Ileana's throat. Ileana groaned, half in pleasure and half in annoyance.

"Beloved, not now. I have to finish these papers if I want our shipment of furs to leave port on time," Ileana protested very weakly.

"The furs are dead. They're not going anywhere," Xol replied before licking at the Queen's earlobe.

"If they are late, we will have trouble paying several government sponsored programs," Ileana explained, but that did not stop her wife.

"They won't be late if you sign them thirty minutes from now," the Chief countered and her lips became a little more demanding. One of her hands left Ileana's shoulders, snaking around to the front and latching onto one of her breasts. Ileana moaned as the hand gently squeezed.

"Love, this is not the place," Ileana managed to say in between panting.

"Every place is the place to show how much I adore you," Xol declared.

Ileana whimpered at the powerful tone that her spouse used and found herself putty to be molded by Xol's knowing hands. Xol's lips remained locked on Ileana's neck, licking, nipping, and thoroughly enjoying all that was her sweet mate. Her left hand continued caressing Ileana's cleavage while her right hand snaked its way down to Ileana's thighs and the Queen's breath hitched.

"Pull your dress up," Xol whispered.

Ileana could only swallow hard and follow orders. Once her dress was up past her knees, Xol could not wait and moved her hand underneath the gown. Ileana let out a low cry as her wife stroked her through her undergarments. Ileana put one hand on her desk to brace herself and the other she wrapped around Xol, holding on for dear life. Whining, Ileana moved her hips in time with Xol's hand and turned her head, wanting a proper kiss as her pleasure grew.

Xol did not disappoint, kissing Ileana with all that she had. It felt like they kissed forever, that Xol's hand moved forever, and suddenly Ileana climaxed, which seemed forever, too. Ileana's hips slowed as she began coming down and Xol's hand did the same, but she did not stop. Ileana's body did not stop either, so soon she was peaking again, moaning her ecstasy into Xo's mouth. That time, Ileana did stop moving and she broke the kiss, needing more air than she could ever get through her nose alone. Xol nuzzled Ileana's hair.

"Beloved, what has gotten into you? This is beyond out of character for you," Ileana said in a low voice. She could not manage to speak any louder.

"I was told to take you as often as possible and I have always thought of loving you in your office. Seems so … forbidden," Xol purred as she gently removed her fingers from her mate. Ileana moaned while Xol brought the fingers to her mouth and licked them clean. She shuddered. "Tastes forbidden, too," she remarked.

Ileana chuckled. "Does forbidden taste good?"

"Pretty good flavor. Give it a try." Xol moved her hand to Ileana's mouth. The Queen's tongue came out and ran along both fingers.

"I have to agree. Perhaps we can do this again?"

"Count on it. Now, before we part until this evening, is there anything I should know?" Xol asked.

"Nothing much. I have put feelers out there to find out about Arrigo's possible connection to the rising tension between the daijinn and the humans. Did you remember anything else that you might not have put in the letter? I know you wrote it in a rush since you were in the market and all," Ileana replied.

"No, even though it was a rush, I put in all of the details. There were some Councilmen, but also some people in Arrigo's not-so-secret guard were out there. I don't get how a man known to be a selfish asshole and murderer can have so much support to be king. What is wrong with people?"

"Stop swearing," Ileana softly admonished her spouse. "People mostly back him for the simple fact that they think he will reward them when he is on the throne. There are some that back him because they dislike that daijinn are equals, too. He had been promising to put the jinn back in their places when he had the throne."

Xol snorted. "Good luck with that."

"He does not think he needs luck. His wife has an heir growing inside of her, he has all of the right hate speech, and now that there are no actual military threats and people have short memories, he claims that we are weak. Of course, the majority of people do not believe him, but we are starting to make our fair share of enemies due to our inability to conceive and continue the family line."

Xol frowned. "That's such a stupid reason to take the throne from you."

"From us," Ileana corrected the smaller female. "They will have a time with the daijinn, though, if they do that since the daijinn are quite content to follow you for the most part."

"Let's not think about it."

Ileana nodded and they were silent for a few moments, just enjoying the hot air still hanging over them. They shared some tender kisses before Xol was able to leave the room. She had plenty of things to do, but the most pressing seemed to be in a little part of their private garden. She went to the empty spot of fresh earth. She and Ileana had planted new moonflowers just that night and had nothing to show for them.

"Sun, Moon, and to all that will listen, I have not asked for much in life, but a family with my mate would be enough to settle me for the rest of my days. I will never ask for anything else, so please, please give us this one thing. I will be your eternal servants … although I suppose I am that already, but I will do whatever I can do serve you and your names well. I will do my best to protect your children as will my mate. We have given them a home, rights, and so many other things. We will try to do much more, but I finally need something in return aside from the tools that you have given me to protect my mate and our tribe. We will do our best to honor everything that you have given us and we appreciate all that have you already done. Please, give us a family," Xol prayed.

She went silent and waited for some sign. Anything to let her know that the gods were listening, that the gods still favored her in some way. There was nothing. Silence.

-8-8-8-8-

The day had been long, as they often were, but Ileana and Xol had a repeat of what happened in the office in their bed that night. Ileana head rested on Xol's shoulder as usual. Xol had her hands wrapped tightly around her mate, as if to protect her from all of the night's ills and the day's worries. She glanced down at Ileana as the Queen whimpered and whined in her sleep. Xol just held her tighter and that helped her calm down.

Ileana settled and nuzzled Xol's neck. "Dearest love," she whispered.

Xol blinked and looked down at her spouse. "You awake?"

Ileana nodded a little. "I am."

"You okay?"

Ileana nodded again. "I had a strange dream."

"Do you remember what happened? You were making a lot of noise."

"I do not remember much. It was one of those dreams that sort of fades as soon as you wake up. But, I remember being told that I had made the right decision and my heart was in the right place, even though I got this idea from bad political advice."

"What does that mean?"

"I have no idea."

Xol scratched her head, but was too tired to think too hard on the matter. Ileana apparently had no desire to think on the matter, falling back to sleep almost immediately. Xol followed, but they both would find out in the morning just what the dream meant.

When the couple awoke that morning, the first thing that Xol did was sate her hunger for Ileana. She certainly took Ha's advice seriously about being with her wife as often as possible. Ileana certainly was not complaining; in fact, she certainly seemed to be enjoying herself every time. They then crawled out of bed and were about to go take their morning bath, but were stopped by the sight in their garden.

"Are those flowers in the dirt?" Ileana asked in disbelief while Xol could only blink.

Xol's voice did not recover as her hand went to Ileana's stomach. The Queen's hands fell on top of Xol's and they slowly walked to their garden. Their moonflowers had blossomed and the flowers were now lying in the rich earth. Xol's chest felt tight and she could not breath. Ileana clutched her beloved's hands as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Do you think …?" Ileana asked and her wife could only nod. "Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god. A baby. We have a baby. We have a baby." Ileana felt like she had to repeat herself. Someone needed to be Xol's voice.

After a few seconds, Xol managed several noises. "Family …"

Ileana chuckled and grinned. "Yes, we are a family."

Poor Xol was so shocked and tongue-tied. She had no idea what to say, so she went with the simplest thing. "We're blessed."

"This is quite true. How about in return for this blessing, we make sure the gods' children, both the daijinn and the humans, do not slaughter each other and tear the country apart?" Ileana proposed.

"That sounds like a good idea. Our child needs a safe loving environment to grow up in, after all!" Xol practically chirped.

Ileana nodded and they disentangled themselves. As soon as they were parted, Xol promptly fainted. Ileana caught her spouse as best she could, but Xol was much heavier than she was, so they both ended up going down. But, she thankfully prevented the limp Chief from slamming her head into the floor. She then settled on the floor, petting her beloved's head and smiling softly.

"And here it is I thought you were the tough one," Ileana remarked and she kissed Xol's pale forehead.

Once Xol regarded consciousness, they tried to go about their time as normal. Xol stumbled to the bath, unable to keep her hands from Ileana's abdomen. She also made sure that Ileana had help into the tub and Ileana smiled, knowing where things were going already.

"You will not treat me like glass after you just flat fell out in our bedroom, love," Ileana whispered into Xol ear.

"What? I have to make sure –!" Xol could not even finish the sentence and just motioned to her wife's body.

"I know. I will make sure, though. I have this, love. I will be careful."

Xol nodded, even though they both knew that Xol was not going to go along with that. The smaller woman would probably be overprotective from now until the moment after Ileana had the baby. Of course, then the overprotectiveness would only shift to the baby. Hopefully, she would grow out of it in a few years.

Once the bath was done, the couple did their best to go about their business as usual. The country needed to be run. They would do their best, but in the back of their minds, they both knew what they would be thinking about. For the rest of the day, in their minds and in spare moments, they sent thanks to the gods. Ileana had to pull double duty, thanking both the daijinn gods and the Chuachinese god.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana and Xol had kept up their "fertility" ritual for a few more days before eating those cakes literally made her sick. At that point, she decided to see the royal physician. He was more than a little perplexed and even somewhat suspicious when he determined that she was pregnant. The glare that he gave her caused her to smile.

"Oh, stop looking at me so viciously, Santo. I have not cheated on Xol," Ileana stated.

"I said nothing, Highness! I am merely your doctor," he replied, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Yes, you are my doctor and I trust you greatly, so I want you to know that I have not cheated on Xol. You may not believe it now, but you will believe it when the child is born."

Santo narrowed his dark blue eyes suspiciously. "There are tests," he blurted out.

"There are?" Ileana asked with interest. She could not believe that there was a test to prove that she had not cheated on Xol. She would love nothing more than to have it done.

"We would need your alchemist and your apothecary to return. They will have to prepare the things for the test. Are you ever going to actually bring them back at some point in time? You will need medication and such for your pregnancy."

"I also need education and more alchemists and apothecaries in the country, so they will stay teaching those courses and you will high tail it back to the university as soon as we are done speaking." Any professional employed by the royal family spent most of their time at the country's largest university, teaching others their trade, and were only called to the palace when needed.

Santo nodded. "I suppose I will tell them about your condition and what you will require then."

"All right then. And, do not tell them with that sour face. I have been nothing but faithful to my wife."

"Yes, Highness."

"Now, what is it I need to do to ensure our baby is healthy? Xol will probably corner you with questions and demands on your way out, too," Ileana warned him.

Santo nodded and then went into a list of things that Ileana could do for herself and her baby. True to her word, as soon as he was out of the room with her, Xol was in his face with a million and one questions. Ileana holding up the list had no affect.

"Consort, please, most of your questions have been addressed by the Queen," Santo begged, trying to get away, but Xol kept blocking his escape. "Why did you not accompany the Queen?" he asked in a confused tone.

"I didn't know I could! I've never gone with her before when she has appointments with you!" Xol pointed out.

"Well, for future reference, you may accompany the Queen for these type of exams. Most fathers do," he commented and then realized how silly he sounded if his wide eyes meant anything.

Xol actually preened from the remark. "Then I'll be with Ileana every time you see her. I want to be there for our child every step of the way. I'll even be there when the baby's born. Oh, we should find out how long daijinn children get carried!" she realized and turned to her mate. "Since the baby is half daijinn, she might be carried for a longer term than a human baby or a shorter term. I don't know. I don't know much about babies. I need to start finding out things about babies!" Xol started hyperventilating and Ileana moved to rub her back to calm her down.

Santo looked perplexed. "Daijinn?" he echoed.

"It is like you said," Ileana remarked with a smile. "Xol is the father, so the baby is half daijinn." She then turned her attention to her distressed wife. "Do not fret, beloved. We will find out about daijinn pregnancies and births. Would the shamans know?"

Xol shook her head, bending down with the hope that it would help her breathing. "Midwife … midwife knows …"

"Is she friendly with us?"

Xol could only nod. Ileana smiled and bid the doctor farewell. Ileana was not sure how, but she managed to get Xol to their bedroom and to the bed. She had a servant fetch Xol's favorite tea and a light snack to help calm the Chief down. By the time the snack arrived, Ileana had at least gotten her wife to breath properly.

"Oh, god, I'm not ready! I'm not ready to be a father!" Xol proclaimed as she looked at her mate's stomach. "I'm not ready!"

Ileana chuckled. "Beloved, please, calm down. You will be fine. You have several months to prepare mentally, but ready or not, we will soon be parents. Oh, and please, do not refer to yourself as the father."

"Why not? You're the one carrying the baby, making you the mother. I'm the one that did all the work to get you pregnant, therefore I'm the father."

Ileana's face scrunched up. "You did all the work?" Her tone was incredulous.

"You just had to lie there screaming and pulling my hair," Xol remarked.

Ileana laughed and Xol smiled, finally seeming calm. Ileana fed Xol the snack and they just spent the rest of the day together, talking about nothing in general. Every now and then the topic would wander to the baby.

"What do you think we're having?" Xol asked, her hand on her mate's abdomen.

"Does it really matter? We are having a baby," Ileana proclaimed with a smile.

Xol nodded. "That is a great thing. After we tell everyone, I'm going to go make special prayers to the gods. You want to come?"

"Yes." Ileana was thoughtful for a moment. "I think I need to go the Temple, also. Will you come?"

"Of course."

They were content with everything. After dinner, they gathered their special little circle to share their news. Xol could not sit down or stand still when everyone was gathered in one of the private rooms of the royal couple. Everyone watched her, including Ileana, who stood and put her hands on Xol's shoulders. It was only that action that kept Xol standing in one place.

"Beloved, you can tell them if only to have something to do," Ileana said.

"No! We should tell them together!" Xol insisted.

"All right, but I need you to calm down. You are moving like you are just going to rocket out of your shoes," the Queen commented.

Xol nodded and took a deep breath. They turned their attention to the small group. Everyone waited patiently and their faces dropped almost at the same moment as the royal couple announced, "We're going to have a baby!"

"The ritual worked!" Mei threw up a fist.

"I gots a grandbaby coming!" Fry actually jumped up and danced. They were surprised to see that the lanky, old gal had some moves.

Lucia blinked. "What?"

"Oh, excuse us," Ileana said. She and Xol then brought everyone up to speed about their trying month of ritual, pleasure, and prayer.

"That actually worked?" Kwen said in disbelief.

"Oh, my goodness! A grandchild!" Lucia clapped as she climbed to her feet.

"We grandparents!" Fry cheered.

"Do you hear that, Olga? Grandparents! We are future grandparents!" Lucia grinned, grabbing Miss Olga by the shoulders. The pale woman remained glued in her seat, looking almost as if she was not sure how to react. Ileana made a mental note to speak to Miss Olga alone.

"How the hell did that shit work?" Kwen asked incredulously, running his hand through his hair. His ears twitched from the move.

"Do not doubt the gods!" Yu shook his finger at Kwen.

"Also, cut out the swearing or you will not be allowed around your niece or nephew," Ileana warned Kwen.

"What? I only curse a little more than the little goddess," Kwen argued. No one even bothered to argue that one.

"When did you find out?" Mei asked eagerly.

"Today everything was confirmed. We did not want to say anything until we were sure. We saw the flowers in the dirt a few days ago and then the doctor examined me, which confirmed what the flowers already stated," Ileana explained.

"Amazing. And you say the child will be our niece or nephew?" Yu asked, just to be sure that he heard correctly.

"Of course! We are a family, are we not?" Ileana countered, earning smiles from everyone in the room except for Miss Olga. She would definitely need to talk to older woman alone.

"I cannot believe it. Never in my wildest dreams did I consider grandchildren," Lucia said in awe.

"I already know all of the books we will read together!" Viktor declared, clapping too, as if the idea just occurred to him. "I have to get ready for the baby's arrival! We will have so much to do together!"

"Relax, Viktor, you have time. When is the child due?" Lucia inquired.

"We do not know. We do not know what to expect with a child that is half human and half daijinn. We will send for the daijinn midwife to learn more about daijinn pregnancies. She and my doctor can then try to work out the best way to approach this very … atypical … situation," Ileana remarked, smiling brightly.

"Atypical is right. A human and a daijinn having a baby? If it wasn't for you two, I'd say the world would sooner swallow itself before that happened," Mei declared.

"I will fetch the midwife for you tomorrow. I have business in Xol as usual, the town, of course, not the Chief," Yu quipped, earning chuckles from Mei and Kwen. Ileana and Xol looked ready to knock their heads together; the joke was just so old.

"If you had –" Kwen started, obviously planning to say something lewd.

"If you finish that sentence, I swear all baby privileges are gone," Ileana warned him. That shut Kwen up.

The group stayed for a couple of hours, talking excitedly about everything involving the baby. Ileana grew more and more concerned with Miss Olga's silence. After a while, Ileana ushered everyone out of the room just so she could speak with her former governess. Xol even left.

"Miss Olga, you must tell me what is wrong," Ileana begged as she sat down next to the older woman.

"There is nothing wrong," Miss Olga replied, eyes more interested in the ceiling than in the Queen.

"Something must be wrong. I am with child. Are you not happy to be a grandmother?" That drew the older woman's attention.

Miss Olga stared at the Queen, almost as if she was trying to figure who the person was in front of her. It was in that moment that Ileana realized Miss Olga probably did not know. Miss Olga was in a way very tradition, so she would probably still see herself as Ileana's servant and nothing more.

"Miss Olga, you are family to me. While I do not look at you as my mother, I certainly look at you as a parent. You raised me. You have been in my life since before I can remember. You certainly have been here more for me than my father. So, yes, you are family to me and to the rest of us. And, yes, this baby is your grandchild if you accept it as such. I know you disapprove of my relationship to the extent that we are two females, but I know you would never hold that against the child," Ileana said.

"I do not hold it against you, so I definitely would not hold it against the child. Do you seriously look to me as a parent?" Blue eyes searched Ileana's face, shining with hope and disbelief.

"Yes! I have always thought of you like that, which is one of the reasons why you would scare me so much and why I would take a scolding from you while trembling. It was not so much that you are frightening and intimidating, which you certainly are and I know it is by design, but because whenever you were upset with me, it was like if my parent was upset with me. I know I was your duty, but it never entered my mind."

Miss Olga smiled a little. "I never viewed you as a duty, no matter how rambunctious you behaved."

"That is good," Ileana said. "Perhaps I have been unfair to you, Miss Olga. It has never occurred to me until now, but maybe you want your own children. I have often taken your presence for granted. Do you wish to go out and have a family all your own?"

The rare smile grew. "I am a little too old to start a family now. You and your brother were more than enough for me to handle anyway."

"Well, then perhaps a companion. At least a friend."

Now, Miss Olga laughed. "I have friends, plenty of friends actually. Your mother is one of my friends. Perhaps my best friend. Other than that, I know dozens of nobles and businesspeople, Highness. I do not lack for a social life and I do enjoy helping you with all that you do. So, put it out of your mind that I need anything. If I need something, I am more than willing to go out and get it."

"I am glad. I was worried for a while, but you fit in here much more than you pretend."

Miss Olga sniffed. "I am making due. Now, explain how this is even possible. Are you sure this ritual you preformed is the reason for your pregnancy? Actually, I think I want to know more are you sure you are pregnant? You and Xol are two females and I know that for a fact having bathed you both all the way back when you both could have drowned in the water."

"Yes, we are both female and, yes, we are sure. The doctor confirmed it."

Miss Olga waved that off. "As if I trust Santo. He has not had a chance to prove he is competent since everyone in the palace that he would service is healthy."

The Queen tried her best to hold it in, but she had to laugh. "I trust him. He knows what he is doing. He does think that I cheated on Xol, despite her insistence that she is the father."

"While I do not think that I would call her a father, we all know that you and she could sooner sprout wings and fly than cheat on each other."

"Yes, this is true. Now, Xol and I have to go and thank the gods for this gift."

"The daijinn gods?"

"The daijinn gods, but also the Chuachinese god. I do not think this could have happened without my praying to the Chuachinese god."

Miss Olga's mouth dropped. "You prayed to the Chuachinese god? You never pray. You have never shown any type of religious devotion, ever."

"I think the god of Chuachin speaks to me much clearer than the Fleurizan god or spirits ever could. The god of Fleuriza is mean and spiteful and wrathful, always demanding and threatening, and killing. The Fleurizan god orders everything and gives very little in return, but the Chuachinese god is the opposite. Where the Fleurizan god is shown always to be a man, the Chuachinese god is neither male nor female. The Chuachinese god is calm and benevolent. You are rewarded for good deeds rather than coached into taking things from others. I am open to this god. You should understand that as you are more Chuachinese than you let on," Ileana remarked with a small smile.

Miss Olga scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I am Fleurizan through the bone."

"Oh, really? A Fleurizan who can tolerant two women in a relationship? A Fleurizan woman who is active in government? A Fleurizan woman who can fight with any man? Should I go on?"

Miss Olga rolled her eyes again. "I am who I am."

"Yes, you are, and what you are is a very strong woman. You are something special and I am honored to know you. I will tell you something that I have not even told Xol as to why I am suddenly open to Chuachin religion," Ileana said in a conspirator's whisper.

The flash in Miss Olga's eyes belied her interest. "If you must confess," she replied dryly.

"The night before we found out that we were going to have a baby, I had an odd dream. It escaped me for the most part upon waking, but as the days past I recalled more. I stood in our garden, by the moonflowers, which had all blossomed. A voice told to me that I instinctively knew to be Xin, the daijinn moon god, 'You were right to ask for I had no power over you, even though you interest me to no end. I have marked when no one else had a say, but I needed permission do something so miraculous, but I have it now. Carry on, blessed moon.' His voice is surprisingly normal, but calming and sweet. I felt an odd connection to him, which he did not explain. It was a brief encounter, of course, but I knew what he was telling me was that the Chuachinese god had domain over me now and only when I asked the god for this was Xin allowed to give it to me, to us. We are a pair, after all. I neglected my end."

Miss Olga's brow furrowed. "So, you are a believer in both the daijinn religion and the Chuachinese religion?"

"No, I am a believer in so much more. I know there is a higher power and as long as I do my part, I can call on them when I do need help. There is just something larger out there and it is actually comforting. I like this feeling," Ileana smiled peacefully.

Miss Olga smiled, too. "I am glad for you, Highness."

"I thought you might be. This is why you are such a good parent. You accept things about me, even if you do not agree with them. I know this whole new philosophical side to me is not something you agree with as you do follow the Fleurizan religion."

"As long as you are not harming yourself in any way, I can let it slide," Miss Olga remarked. "Besides, I understand that I cannot control you, Highness. You are very much your own independent woman."

Ileana smiled. "I get it from you. I would like to make a request, also."

"Yes?"

"You are about to be the third grandparent for my child, please, could you call me Ileana now? You are not my servant. You are my family."

"I can do that … Ileana," Miss Olga stated with yet another smile. The expression and the use of her name made the Queen feel very good about things. She was not alone, not physically or spiritually. She and everyone around her could continue doing what they did best – make their country great.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana and Xol learn more about what to expect from Ileana's pregnancy and then go back to business as usual.


	32. 31: Sickness

31: Sickness

Ileana and Xol decided that it would be a good idea for them to go the town of Xol together to see the midwife instead of having the midwife brought to them. They both believed it would be best for them to be seen as a couple to help keep the country united, to remind everyone that they were all in on for the long haul and wanted best for the country – human and daijinn alike. They drew stares all the way to the town and they did not stop there. Anyone within seven feet of them respectfully bowed their heads, as was the custom of Chuachin. The daijinn actually took a knee to the couple. Of course, there were not that many daijinn out and about since most daijinn did not start the day until after noon, but several business people were out.

"I did not expect such a display. I was certain they would all be angry with me over the recent nonsense that has been going on," Ileana said.

Xol shook her head. "We're aware that you're not against us. The daijinn here, the ones with any good sense, know you're the reason this is all possible. Especially the ones out now are definitely aware that you made this all possible since these are the daijinn that deal with humans for whatever reason and need to be awake in the morning for business reasons. You shared your land, businesses, and nation with them, just as you shared your responsibility with me. It starts with you, my mate."

Ileana smiled. "It actually started with you, over twenty years ago. You have no idea how much you affect me, beloved. You are the sun. You give me light and make me warm."

Xol blushed, but she clearly beamed from the compliment. They continued on with Xol leading the way to the midwife's office. The door was open, so they entered to find the midwife leaning against her desk, sleeping peacefully. The couple chuckled a little, which was enough to rouse the midwife.

Tired, silver eyes blinked several times as the midwife's tanned face settled on the couple. The midwife rubbed her eyes and then put her hands through her ebony and blond hair, as if trying to make herself presentable. She climbed to her feet, showing that she was short for a daijinn, which put her a little over eye level with Ileana. She was somewhat rotund with a short, bob tail behind her and large yellow ears poking up out of her head.

"Chief, Queen, thank you for coming," the midwife said as she kneeled before them.

"Please, rise, doctor. You don't have to so formal with us," Xol said.

"Doctor?" Ileana echoed. "You are a doctor as well as a midwife?" she asked.

"As well?" the midwife parroted with a scrunched up face. She glanced over at Xol, looking for permission to explain, which she received in a nod. "Highness, there's no 'as well' in daijinn society. Because women have different internal parts and go through the unique situation of being pregnant and giving birth, our society makes sure that there is at least one female doctor that is very familiar with the reproduction system to ensure that babies are in capable hands. It's not like that in human society?"

"No, it is not," Ileana muttered. "But, that does make sense. In human society, a doctor is a doctor and a midwife is a midwife. They are two separate entities."

"I don't see how that works. If that's the case, why not just have the doctor deliver the baby? Why have a midwife at all?"

Ileana shrugged. "I cannot answer that one. I am not involved in the medical profession. Have you been training others to be doctors? I want the country to have as many as we can."

The ebony-blond nodded. "I have been teaching several pupils over the past four years. I actually just released my first two pupils into the world. Two very dedicated young ladies, one a war vet and the other just enthused. The war vet saw what happened on the battlefield and knew we needed more in the medical profession while the other one is only twenty cycles old and used to follow me around like a puppy to learn all she could. She is going to make a good healer."

"Do you think humans would come to you?" Ileana asked curiously.

"I've seen a couple humans, but they were warriors, too, and showed up because daijinn they served with in the wars recommended me. I also charge less than the humans they went to see. They're good women and they come to me when their new babies need check ups or have some sickness. They trust me."

Ileana smiled. "I am more than glad to hear it."

"Oh, yes, don't worry, Highness. I know you worry. People around here talk. We know the Chief comes in and assures us that everything is still what we signed on for. You can't control what a few idiots do anymore than we can control what a few idiots do. So, young humans come here and hoop and holler and then young daijinn go into the city and do the same. Young idiots all around. Well, sometimes, old idiots, but idiots nonetheless."

Ileana nodded. "I am glad that you do not blame all humans for what some do."

The midwife waved it off. "My kin bled on the battlefield with humans by their side. I know not all humans are bad from that. Same way that many humans know daijinn aren't all that bad. Now, we should get to the topic at hand."

"All right, doctor," Ileana stated with a smile.

"Yu didn't go into much detail in regards to what's going on. He said it would be best for you to explain," the doctor replied.

"Not much to explain. Ileana's pregnant with our child," Xol grinned. "The Moon blessed us with a baby."

To the doctor's credit, her face remained passive. "Forgive my asking, but is that why you visited the shamans a couple of times last month? People talk."

Xol snorted. "Of course people talk. The shamans told us how to get the Moon's blessing for a baby. If you don't believe us, we can do the tests when the baby's born and you'll see that the baby is ours."

The doctor smiled softly. "I believe you, little goddess. I would never dispute something from either of you. Besides, I am familiar with the story of the Moon blessing couples who are childless for whatever reason. I have never in all my days heard of a human-daijinn child, though."

"That is one of the reasons why we are here. We would like to know what you would expect from a normal daijinn pregnancy. We have already been to my doctor and he told us what we needed to know about a human pregnancy. So, we figure if we know as much as we can about both, we can anticipate something about this child," Ileana explained with another smile.

The doctor nodded and motioned for the royal couple to sit down. Ileana pulled out her omnipresent notebook to take notes and the doctor nodded her approval. The Queen also took Xol's hand, knowing her beloved would need the connection or she would probably faint someway through the whole thing.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana had to tug Xol back to their home because Xol was in a daze after hearing all of the information as to what they might expect from Ileana's pregnancy. The doctor, Yan, had known enough about human pregnancy to tell them the differences between daijinn and human pregnancies as well what they might expect from a mixed child. They learned that daijinn typically carried babies longer; five weeks longer than humans usually carried to term. She warned that the baby might be much heavier than a human child as daijinn in general, from babies on up, were heavier than humans.

Ileana wanted to know what to expect if the baby had ears like a daijinn and Yan told them not to worry. Daijinn babies were born deaf and their ears laid flat on their heads for the first week of their life. Once the ears started springing up, it was a sign that the child could hear. There was really nothing to worry about if the baby had a tail.

For the most part, Ileana learned that human women and daijinn females experienced similar things through out pregnancy, so she should not be in for many surprises. She had to look forward to the usual sickness, which she learned was extremely common in daijinn females. Her behavior was also likely to become somewhat erratic because of an "imbalance in humors," as Doctor Santo had put it while Doctor Yan had called it "new spirits." The whole point was that growing a life inside of her was not going to be fun and she was going to have to do her best to maintain because she and Xol still needed to keep the country together.

"We're gonna have a baby …" Xol muttered with a silly grin on her face.

"I am delighted at how happy you are with this," Ileana commented.

"How could I not be happy? We're having a baby! We're a real family now. Parents, children, growing old together and all of that! This was beyond anything I could ever hope for, Ileana!" Xol then surprised her wife by suddenly pulling Ileana to her and wrapping her in a warm embrace.

"Beloved, I know better than anyone just how you feel," the Queen pointed out.

Xol nodded and cuddled into Ileana's chest, despite the fact that they were walking down an open road. "I wish there was something I could say beyond I love you."

Ileana chuckled. "Your actions say it everyday. You say it whenever you call me your mate. You say it whenever you flare your hands in our defense and make our marks grow. You say it all the time."

"I'm glad you know. I hope I make you feel at least half of what I feel for you."

"I am sure we feel the same thing. Now, we should get home. We have work to do, after all, both private and public."

Xol snorted and nodded. They walked back to the palace, happy to see things calm in the city for the most part. As soon as they entered the palace, their family seemed to come from all directions and everyone had questions. Xol flattened her ears while Ileana held up her hand to try to get everyone to slow down.

"Come, we will go some place private and we will answer everything that we can," Ileana told them.

Everyone was in agreement and they all retreated to the nearest room. Xol guided Ileana down into a chair and they all smiled a little, noting the extra care the small daijinn took with her pregnant wife. As soon as Ileana and Xol were comfortable, the questions came again.

"Wait!" Ileana ordered, putting her hand up for the second time. "One question at a time. Please," she requested.

"When is the baby due?" Lucia said as quickly as possible.

Ileana shook her head. "There is no real way to know. While a human is pregnant for forty weeks, a daijinn is pregnant for forty-five. The doctors are going to talk and try to meet in the middle with all they know about pregnancies and hope that some of the things they come up with apply to us. But, we should not expect the baby for another nine to ten months."

"Have you seen the shamans? They can read smoke and tell you if it's a boy or girl," Mei remarked.

"Read smoke?" Yu raised an eyebrow, calling Mei on that.

"I don't know what they do, but they know how to tell what someone's having! I've never gone to the shamans for something like this, after all," Mei huffed.

"We'll consider it," Xol replied if only to keep Mei from going off.

"Have you gotten any of the necessary medications yet?" Miss Olga inquired.

"Not yet. The doctors need to meet and talk it over. They want to make sure that nothing they would usually give for one pregnancy would end up troubling the other. After all, we do not know what to expect with the baby being, for lack of a better term, a hybrid between the two of us," Ileana answered, motioning between her and her wife.

There were nods and more questions. Most of the questions, Ileana and Xol could not answer yet. Ileana was not "that" pregnant, after all. After over an hour, Lucia had one very important request to make.

"When this child is born, you cannot find a nanny or a governess," Lucia stated. "No offense to you, Olga. I know you were doing your job and you love Ileana and Viktor, but when I was there and Ileana could not be with me, it broke my heart. Please, do not do that with your baby. If you need time away from the baby, we are all here to be with the baby. Right?"

"I call all days that end in 'y'!" Mei giggled. Her eyes practically glowed and the way her tail refused to stop moving, it seemed like she was almost as excited as Xol and Ileana over the baby.

"Good luck," Yu said dryly, rolling his eyes. He then put his hand to his chin.

Kwen arched an eyebrow, knowing that look. "What you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Nothing," he insisted, shaking his head. He then glanced at Mei and shook his head again.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana continued on working, which included looking into her uncle's activities. She knew that several of Arrigo's supporters held meetings riling up people, trying to get them against the daijinn as well as against the Queen and her Consort. Making matters worse, Xol informed her that there were similar meetings among small numbers of daijinn in her namesake town. Thankfully, it was mostly just talk now. Of course, they all knew that could change in an instant.

The country continued to grow despite the tension between some of the humans and some of the daijinn. Ileana continued working on laws and working with the Council, who were still harassing her about getting a divorce, marrying a man, and having a baby. She had not told them about the situation; they would figure it out as she got bigger, which was happening rapidly. Well, for her anyway, and for Xol.

A month after finding out for certain that they were having a baby, Ileana swore that she could see the "baby bump" as every female that knew about the pregnancy called it; every female except for Xol, anyway. Xol did agree that Ileana had a glow to her. She actually seemed more enchanted with her mate than ever before, definitely making it a point to stay closer to Ileana now than in the past four years.

Xol had considered just letting Shei guard Ileana, but the guardian cat was too rambunctious when it came to the Queen. While most of the time, Ileana could control the cat and get him to sit still, there were times when he wanted to play and he would try to force Ileana to play. Xol did not want to risk Shei accidentally hurting Ileana, so the cat was regulated to a large space in the gardens … away from their rabbit pens.

"What're you working on?" Xol asked curiously from her space across Ileana's desk. They were both doing what work they could locked in a room together and Ileana experiencing morning sickness through out the entire day. They both believed it was unfair to call it "morning sickness" if it could strike at any moment.

Ileana sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Business regulations of all things."

"Why? What happened?"

"Miss Olga informed me that our bigger shipping companies actually all got together and decided to charge everyone the same outrageous price to ship things. Therefore guaranteeing that no matter who anyone tries to use for shipping, it will cost them an arm and a leg and make the shipping company the maximum profits. Basically, all of the shipping companies agreed to cheat everyone who uses them."

"Ouch. Why not just let people use a shipping company from another country and drive those cheating companies out of business?" Xol proposed.

"Honestly, I would love nothing more than to do that, but our economy is not quite good enough for us to just let our major shipping companies fold. Besides, they employ a lot of Chuachin citizens, who, even though they are sailors and often away on voyages, spend money here and make sure their families have money to spend. I do not want money unnecessarily leaving the country if it can be prevented. Besides, I want to nip this before other companies get the same 'brilliant' idea. Could you believe this? Gleefully ripping off their own people."

Xol nodded. "Some people like money above all other things."

"Well, I refuse to allow them to just swindle our people. Now, what do you have?" Ileana asked curiously, angling her head to look at whatever her wife was working on.

"Nothing as heavy as what you have, I can tell you that much. A few daijinn villages want to make proper roads leading to their villages because they want more trade beyond the odd traveling merchant. You know, we put everything up so fast that some villages, both human and daijinn, got left with dirt roads. So, they want resources and everything."

"What are you going to do?"

"Can't give them what I don't have, but I told them where our quarry is so they can get the stones. I'm going to send Assunta to supervise one of the projects because they're talking about bridges because their village is across a rapid river. I'll see what people Lucia can spare for work and we'll go from there."

"Can you spare Assunta? Is she not enjoying her government-funded aqueduct work?" Ileana remarked with a smile.

"If not her, Dario is just as good. But, she should be able to spare a couple of months to make a bridge. The aqueduct she's working on is under construction, so it's not like she's designing it or anything anymore."

Ileana shrugged, guessing that her spouse knew what her former military officers could and could not do better than anyone. They both went back to work. They suspected that their days for the next nine to ten months would be similar to what they were doing now. Only broken up when Ileana needed to move some place else to do her job, like when she needed to meet with the Council.

-8-8-8-8-

The Council was gathered as the Queen called an emergency meeting to inform them about the new laws she drafted. She made it a point to keep them informed. Every now and then, she even let them pretend one of her ideas was theirs. More often than not, though, Ileana knew exactly how to play the Council and ultimately do whatever she thought was best for the country. She supposed it would work out well as long as she had the people behind her and a majority of the time, she had that in some shape or form, especially with the daijinn as citizens.

Of course, she usually did not call meetings and then show up late, but she definitely was now. Xol could hear the grumblings before they entered the hall. Ileana offered no excuse as they stepped in, but of course, Xol never expected her mate to admit that she had just spent the past five minutes throwing up. _Damn not-so-morning-sickness_.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Ileana said, smiling at the group. Of course, she actually informed them of the meeting two weeks ago, but it was good to cover for her being late.

"Now, if only her Highness could grace us on time," a Councilwoman muttered from the back. Xol's ears turned to the direction of the noise.

"Perhaps you would excuse her Highness as she does have a country to run," another remarked before Xol could even say anything.

Ileana cleared her throat. "You are both correct. I am here because I have several business measures that I would like to inform you of that I feel are necessary for us to remain an economically healthy and thriving country. The first one is to address something that all of our major shipping companies recently did and I have decided has to stop now before the idea spreads. Apparently, the heads of all of the shipping companies got together over a nice dinner and delicious wine and decided that they would all charge the same ridiculously high rate to everyone. Now, I know some of you wonder what the problem is with this considering most of you are those owners," Ileana commented, glancing at her uncles, who were amongst the owners.

Arrigo and Riccardo were still allowed to sit in and chime in on Council meetings, but they held no real power. They could both get their few followers riled up, but other than that, there was nothing that they could do. Vincenzo had stopped coming to Council meeting years ago and had officially retired from public life two years ago; he wanted to fish, he told Ileana with a smile. He had been doing just that for two years on a tiny island not far from the city.

"You cannot step in on business practices. You are over reaching, Highness," a Councilman stated.

Ileana shook her head. "That is where you are so very wrong, my dear, Lord Carlo. The Ten Orders give the monarch the power to determine and manage any affairs that affect the people, especially in a negative way. Do you have any idea what this sort of foolishness could do to our economy? I refuse to let our fledgling nation implode because a few of you are greedy individuals that would sooner steal the gold out of your mother's mouth than help an elderly lady across the street," Ileana pointed out.

"How is it horrible? These are regular business practices."

"Yes, under the last two kings who promptly ran the country into the ground and below. I refuse to let that happen. You bleed our businessmen dry to ship their goods. You bleed our farmers and hunters dry to ship their goods. Well, what do we do when they no longer have money? Tell me, what does one do once all of the business in the country has died trying to have business outside of the country? I should, in good conscience, sit back and watch you cheat anyone who needs to ship goods? No. You cannot cheat the rules that govern free enterprise by stacking the deck. What should I do when the farmers decide that they will all charge extremely high prices for their goods? When the bakers make the same demands on their bread? No. You may run your business and your business alone. You and your supposed rivals cannot get together and then decide on a set price for everyone to get the maximum amount from the consumer," Ileana said.

"It's called a rip-off," Xol chimed in, earning a couple of chuckles from some of the Councilmembers.

"All this is doing is ruining other businesses in the country, which is, in turn, ruining the country. It is also unfair. I cannot allow for unfair business practices, especially something this blatant," Ileana said.

"Oh, yet you do nothing of the daijinn problem!" someone in the back declared. Xol's eyes narrowed as she zeroed in on him, but she did not move. She could not help the growl; she did not like his tone directed at her pregnant mate, even if he did not know of her condition.

"There is a daijinn problem? I was unaware. Is the problem with the way they helped clear the overgrown farms and helped create new farms? Or in the way that they helped build the roads? Perhaps the problem is in the way they helped us defeat two foreign enemies at the cost of young people they could hardly afford to lose considering their low population? Or even in how those that stayed behind help cure our country of a plague that had been killing off people for a century? Is that the problem you mean?" Ileana inquired as if she were genuinely curious.

Again, there were laughs from several members of the Council. Of course, the man who asked the question was far from amused. Arrigo did not look too pleased either.

"You do not view them as a problem because you are married to one of the dangerous jinn," Arrigo hissed.

"Again, I actually feel I missed the problem with them. My wife has done nothing but good for the nation. I sure do not recall hearing about you charging toward rows of sword-wielding Cersans, but I know Xol did," Ileana pointed out.

"Going to war does not make things different. All you did was point animals in the direction of their prey," Arrigo grumbled.

The daijinn on the Council all seemed to growl at the same time while several humans frowned. Such talk was not often heard in the Gathering Hall these days. Usually the Council held some form of civility since Ileana took over, but now things had crossed the line and Ileana was not pleased with it.

"Belittling insults will not stand!" Ileana proclaimed. "The daijinn are citizens just as the humans are and I do not hear them wanting to address the 'human problem.' Just because you have a personal problem with a group does not mean the rest of the country should have that problem, especially when they are just citizens trying to live their lives. The daijinn do no more or less than the humans. I am tired of this disgusting talk about them as if they are dragging the country down when they have done more than their part to bring the country up out of the mud. So, I will tell you as my dearest wife told the daijinn, if you dislike it here and have a problem, you are free to leave. You can go anywhere you desire and not have to worry about daijinn. There is the door," the Queen said while motioning to the door.

"Why the very idea," someone in the back grumbled. The back of the hall always held her uncles' supporters and the unfortunate Councilmembers to arrive late.

"Carry on, Highness. We would like to know more about these business problems that are becoming present in our society by the same people that seem to have a problem with some of our fine citizens," Councilwoman Julia said.

Ileana was able to get the meeting back on track with little trouble. There were several business regulations that she proposed. Most ended in applauds, but there were a couple that she had to tweak. Apparently, they constricted business too much and a few Councilmembers that she trusted offered to improve on the ideas. They were educated in business, so she figured they would know what they were doing better than she did.

At the end of the meeting, most of the Councilmembers stayed behind to speak with Ileana and Xol for various reasons. Ileana's uncles and their supporters fled the room as soon as possible. Ileana noted that there were less than forty men with her uncles now. She wondered if that would change again when it was common knowledge that she was pregnant. Although, she was sure that the common knowledge would then be followed by common rumors.

-8-8-8-8-

By her twentieth week, it was very clear that Ileana was pregnant … and all Hell would break loose if anyone asked how it happened. She had damn near bitten a servant's head off for just staring at her a month ago when she was showing just noticeably, but not quite like she was now. It was by the twenty-first week that the rest of the country would find out about the child growing inside of her. Of course, they would find out in a rather awkward away.

News reached the palace that there were a full-scale riot in the Dragon Sqaure and for the first time in six months Xol had actually left her wife's side. Xol, of course, thought that she should handle the riot since violence was involved. Ileana was not to be near anything that had a chance of hurting her. In fact, Xol would barely let her drink hot tea anymore.

"Just stay here. I'll handle it," Xol told Ileana after making sure the Queen was comfortably sitting on her favorite pillow. She then rushed off, missing hazel eyes roll.

Xol got to Dragon Square in record time in her opinion and her jaw dropped as soon as she arrived. Riot did not do the scene before her justice. Barroom brawl on a grand scale would have been more accurate considering the absolute destruction to everything in the area along with the serious fighting. The humans and the daijinn were beyond at each other's throats.

"Hey!" Xol roared with the hope of getting the people's attention. No one even bothered to look at her. Growling, she wasted no time climbing a high vantage point, igniting her whole body, and diving into the crowd, aiming for some place with a little bit of space. There was a mild concussion from her landing, blowing back those around her and getting the attention of enough people to cause a pause in the nonsense. "What the fuck is going on here!" the Chief demanded. "We run out of outside enemies, so now we're just going to eat each other alive?!" As her voice thundered through out the Square, her flames flared, catching the attention of anyone else not paying attention.

"Chief …" many of the daijinn muttered reverently.

"My mate and I did not fight to get humans and daijinn together and help build one of the best places on the planet, the only place where human and daijinn are equal just to see a few idiots ruin it for everybody! If you don't like the way things work in the country, then just fucking leave!"

"I think that would be a most excellent idea, but without the vulgar language," Ileana remarked as she stepped through the crowd. Everyone started to kneel as she went by.

"Love, what are you doing here? How did you get here?" Xol asked, reaching out for her mate's hand to get her through the crowd unharmed. Her blessing was extinguished for the moment, but she held Ileana close and mentally dared someone to try to harm her mate and child. She could quite possibly kill the whole crowd.

"I took a two horse carriage," Ileana pointed in the direction that she came from.

"I told you I would handle this."

"I think _we_ should handle this, beloved," Ileana said and then she turned her attention to everyone else. "Honestly, what are we to do with you people? You fight each other like sworn enemies when you are all countrymen. These are your neighbors and you fight them with more contempt than you fought the Cersans and the Fleurizans combined. You are only helping to ruin the country, trying to start a civil war, and tearing the place apart. Do you not know that these are your brothers? We are a family," the Queen declared.

"A family that has to stick together in order to survive. We made it this far by being together, by working together," Xol reminded them. "How dare you daijinn attack and fight with the brothers that shared land with you! The brothers that gave you a home! The brothers that do business with you!"

"And humans do not think you are any better. How dare you fight with the brothers that bled with you and for you! How dare you fight with the brothers that helped you feed yourselves and travel more easily! How dare you fight with the brothers that showed you how to cure the worst plague in our history!" Ileana demanded. "We are all in this together. I fear what this place will be like in ten years if you forget all that you have fought and struggled for in four years. Will we sit and wonder if life would have been better had Cersa just taken our entire country? Would we have been better as a Fleurizan colony? It seems so since we cannot be trusted on our own to take care of matters. This is not the country I want for me and my wife. This is not the country I want for any of you. This is not the country I want my child to grow up in."

Ileana had not considered her pregnancy as she spoke that last sentence, but it did draw attention to her hard-to-miss belly. Xol noticed immediately and pulled Ileana closer to her. Her free hand was flexed and ready, but Ileana was cool as ever.

"Our country is unique, just as my relationship with my beloved is unique. As I enjoy that my marriage is successful, I want this country to be successful. We do our best when we work together, daijinn and human. We all make everything in this country possible. Why would you want to destroy that? Why would you want to make us less than we are? Are you upset to have equal rights? Are you upset to have medicines that no other country has access to? Are you upset to be able to go home without the worry that you will be kidnapped and sold into slavery away from your spouse and children? Are you upset that we have defenses that no other country on the planet has? Tell me what is making you all so hostile toward each other? Is your hatred so deep that it blocks your intelligence? You cannot see that we only work so well when we work together?" Ileana inquired.

"They're taking our businesses!" someone in the crowd screamed.

"There is more than enough business to go around for everyone. It is not like the country is grossly overpopulated. In fact, we are still extremely under-populated. What business could you possibly missing out on because of each other?" the Queen asked.

"They come to our village and taunt our children!"

Xol growled. "That is a coward's move."

"Indeed it is. But, as I understand it, every time that happens, people are now arrested. Any sort of acts against children definitely will not be tolerated. There is never a reason for any sort of violence or threats to a child and we will not let that happen. It is a coward's move," Ileana agreed with her spouse. "Here we stand wanting to make this a great country and you all just try to tear it apart. What is the point? What is the purpose? Do you hate where you live so much that you would turn into a cancer and kill it?"

"And why should we be questioned by a whore!" someone in the crowd demanded.

Xol snarled and was off in a shot. It would seem the man did not expect Xol to move as quickly as she did or be able to pinpoint who said such a hateful thing. She grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off his feet, even though he was much taller than she was.

"Whoa, boss!" Yu called as he, Mei, and Kwen pushed their way through the mob. They could not let the royal couple face a huge rabble alone.

"There is no 'whoa'! I will never tolerate someone calling my mate out of her name, especially when using our unborn child to attack her!" Xol roared and flames shot out of her nose as she huffed. She could smell the fear from the man.

"Love, put the man down. We did not come here to meet violence with violence," Ileana said calmly.

Xol growled again and tossed the man aside like the trash she felt he was. "Remember, the woman you insulted just saved you from having your face melted off."

"This is not the way countrymen should behave toward each other. As I said, we are family and I actually learned that from Xol. My wife has held many close to her who are not related by blood, but become closer than blood through the circumstances of life. We have to learn to depend on each other to survive those circumstances. History has proven we need to stand together, so why would you want to change that? Just so we can all perish and fade away? Who here really wants to go down in history as the people that helped finally kill Chuachin?" Ileana demanded and everyone was quiet. "We can be great, but we have to stand together. If we fight each other, we only hurt ourselves. Is this what we will come to? Outside forces could not kill us, so we had to kill ourselves? Why should we self-destruct? This is our time and our time to show the world just how wonderful we are, how beautiful we are, and how we live up to our creed. Chuachin cannot claim to be so tolerate and then kill itself over the physical and small cultural differences between humans and daijinn. It makes us worse than the outside countries because at least they let their intolerance be known and wear it like a badge. We would end up being hypocrites and for no reason. There is no reason for us to treat each other anything beyond neighborly. We are in this together. We have to stand united. We have to be a family if we are to move forward. We are unique and we are great and we are so beautiful that we make the gods smile … when we are not busy destroying the shrines to the immortals," Ileana said, glancing over at the Great Temple, which was damaged. The daijinn shrine looked just as bad.

Xol went back to Ileana and pulled her into a hug. The warm display seemed to actually be the exclamation to Ileana's speech. The embrace seemed to show what the country could be – warm, loving, possibly ordained by the gods as far as the daijinn were concerned, and best of all, successful. But, the real thing that commanded attention between the couple was Ileana's swollen abdomen. The questions, rumors, and comments started right after the couple left the scene after ordering the Square cleaned and restored.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Ileana's changes with her growing pregnancy.


	33. 32: Transformations

32: Transformations

Ileana felt like she could not get a spare minutes without some Councilmember coming to see her about her pregnancy and the trillions of rumors now surrounding it. It was not until Ileana flat out told Mei to not let anyone from the Council in that she was able to exhale without some politician in her face. Mei was all too happy to go along with that.

"I have never in all my days been so graciously called a slut before," Ileana sighed as she eased herself down onto the sofa in her office.

"I think I hurt my throat …" Xol muttered, rubbing the aforementioned area.

"I am not surprised. You growled so much, I thought you were going to hack up a lung," Ileana remarked as she beckoned her love over with a crooked finger.

Xol marched over to Ileana and sat down with her, allowing Ileana to lean against her side. Ileana stroked her wife's sore throat while Xol caressed her mate's swollen belly. They had an appointment with the doctors soon. Santo was surprised by Ileana's size the last time he saw her, so they both knew he would be beyond shocked to see her now. Yan thought that Ileana's size was more consistent with a daijinn pregnancy than a human, but she refused to impose typical daijinn rules on the pregnancy.

While both doctors agreed that the pregnancy was strange, they did not agree on much else. Santo did not seem very willing to work with Yan. It was his first time dealing with a daijinn while Yan had no trouble working with humans since she did have a few humans as patients. Santo also seemed to have an inflated sense of self since he was _the_ royal physician. Ileana could not wait for the baby to come just so that they would not have to have the two doctors in the same room ever again.

"How dare those people suggest, or even think, you'd be with anyone but me!" Xol tried to growl, but her voice was shot. She probably would not be snarling or growling for a few days.

"Come now, love, you have to expect it, even if it is annoying. How can we explain that I am carrying your child given to us by the gods?" Ileana asked.

"Just like that! You're pregnant with our child, our flesh and blood, because of the gods. What more do they want?"

"It is not so simple. Many people are not likely to believe what they cannot see, especially when there are other people getting them riled up. Uncle Riccardo has already taken to telling people that I am sleeping with Yu and Kwen as well as any other male daijinn that I might have contact with. I suppose this is his way of heading us off should the child be born with daijinn qualities."

Xol actually chuckled; it was a raspy sound. "Could you imagine? As much as Yu might watch you, Mei would kill him if he so much as touched you and Kwen would probably run all the way to the other end of the country just from being plain scared and confused."

Ileana smiled a bit. "I know, but my uncle, like most humans, does not understand our tribe's dynamic or even the daijinn, I do not know, reverence for you and how they would never touch me due to you."

"They revere you, too. They respect us as mates, too. No daijinn in the world would try to lay with someone else's mate. Of course, true mates would never sleep with someone else anyway. We belong together," Xol whispered and she kissed Ileana's shoulder.

"That we do."

They were able to cuddle for a few more minutes before the doctors arrived and they needed to do their usual checkup on Ileana and the baby. Ileana was in the twenty-fourth week of her pregnancy. Santo frowned at the lack of movement from the baby.

"This child should be moving around by now. Are you sure you have not felt anything?" Santo asked the Queen.

"Nothing," Ileana answered honestly.

"Not uncommon in daijinn pregnancies. The baby might not start moving until the twenty-eighth week," Yan chimed in.

"And why is that?" Ileana asked curiously.

"Daijinn babies are notoriously shy. They move very little while developing and when they are born continue that behavior for at least two weeks of their birth. It might have something to do with the fact that daijinn are born deaf and blind. Both senses do not develop until the baby is at least a week old. So, it could just be the lack of sensation that keeps daijinn still," Yan explained.

"Sounds like a liability," Santo grumbled and earned glares from all three women.

"And what is that supposed to mean, doctor?" Xol snarled, despite the pain in her throat.

Santo gulped. "I meant nothing by it, Consort. Just an observation," he said and then he cleared his throat. "So, have you been keeping with your diet, Highness?" he asked. It was one of the few things that he and Yan had agreed on, even though he had been ready to fight with the daijinn doctor over it.

"Yes, my beloved makes sure I stick with it," Ileana replied with a smile and she rubbed Xol's head.

"Have you been taking the medicines and potions?" Yan asked.

"Yes, the sweet apothecary Celia has been on my case and on the case, delivering all necessary items every week and making sure I have used everything from the previous week," Ileana answered. Celia, the royal apothecary, worked well with both Santo and Yan. Of course, she often worked with Santo when he had to prescribe medicines, but working with Yan was new and Celia was very open to it. Yan had grown to like Celia and always smiled when her name was mentioned and this time was no different.

"Celia is very dedicated to her job and very knowledgeable. She and our village medicine man have been meeting and discussing their profession, did you know?" Yan asked.

"No, but that is good. We should all learn from each other," Ileana commented, giving Santo a look. He frowned.

The examination continued. Santo tried to control the discussion and Yan seemed to let him. By the time everything was said and done, Santo was smiling and proudly puffing out his chest. He left with Yan, not knowing she doubled back to get in a word with the Queen and Chief.

"My, that man is a blowhard," Yan chuckled.

"He is threatened by you. He thinks you might steal his position," Ileana explained.

Yan shook her head. "Have you told him I have my own village to worry about? I cannot drop a whole village to be your personal doctor, no matter how prestigious such a position would be."

"He does not believe that. I think he will feel better once the baby is born and he will not have to see you again," Ileana admitted with a smile.

"Well, until the next baby, right?" Yan asked.

"You planning another for us already?" Xol countered.

"Come now! How unfair would it be to leave this child as the only half-human, half-daijinn child in the world?"

The couple could not argue that, even though they had not considered having more than one child since they were already being blessed with having just the one. But, now that Yan pointed it out, they might want to reconsider. Maybe they could have more than one child. They would have to wait, though. After all, they still had not gotten out of the first pregnancy, so it was a bit premature to consider another. It was good to know that someone outside of their family believed that they should have more than one child.

-8-8-8-8-

Ileana grew grumpy and agitated by small things as her pregnancy continued. She believes it had something to do with not being able to see her feet, but she was not sure. No Councilmember was stupid enough to bother her by now, be it about the pregnancy or anything else in her life. She was doing her best to avoid the Council, too. She had called one meeting since her pregnancy became public and by then she was already in her twenty-nineth week.

She waddled rather than walked and could not stand for more than a few minutes at a time. There were pains in her back that made her want to bang her head against a wall just to forget about the pain in her back. She could not imagine almost twenty more weeks of such misery and hoped that she would have a forty-week pregnancy like a normal human being. The Council hoped for the same considering what happened during the meeting.

Ileana had tried to inform the Council of the success of the revised business regulations and a few new trade agreements when someone in the back interrupted her. What happened next would guarantee no one ever interrupted her again; at least not until after her little bundle of joy was born. The hard look conquered the Queen's whole face froze the Council and the aura that she began giving off made their all squirm.

"Was I finished yet?" Ileana growled in a low, controlled manner that made even Xol gawk at her. "I did not ask for opinions from the mentally challenged, did I? Perhaps you should try controlling yourself until it is your turn to speak and then promptly speak from your mouth instead of your ass. Although, I suspect that would be exceptionally difficult for you considering you, yourself, are an ass. Now, how about you leave me to finish what I was saying or should I have a guard escort you out until you learn better manners?" The speech was short, but the tone was biting, threatening, nerve-wracking, and completely cold. The look in her eyes seemed to be murderous and no one wanted to test if the Queen would have them executed just for interrupting her.

The rest of the meeting was silent; so silent that it was clear the Council was even keeping their breathing under strict control. Xol would not have been surprised if the Councilman that interrupted Ileana had wet himself. She knew that her heart was beating a little faster than it should. She had never seen Ileana so angry, deadly angry. Once Ileana calmed down, she did not realize the extent that she had frightened everyone, so Xol had to make the suggestion that they hold off the Council meetings entirely until after the baby was born … or until Ileana reached a happier place. Whichever came first.

Of course, the fact that she almost killed the whole Council with a look did not sway some people from messing with Ileana. Her uncles certainly did not know when to stop, especially Arrigo. Not too long after Ileana's attempted genocide on the Council, Arrigo's wife went into labor and gave birth to a baby boy, Duke Arrigo Vincenzo Junior.

-8-8-8-8-

"We certainly do not need another one of him roaming the place," Ileana muttered when she heard the announcement. She was sitting with the rest of her family, comparing notes on their typical operations, projects, and responsibilities. She was curled up on a chaise with her legs in Xol's lap.

"Can't be helped, I suppose," Miss Olga remarked and she earned stares. "Come now, you really did not think an ego that massive could be contained in one single form, could you?"

"I like to think it wouldn't be asking too much," Mei quipped.

"Despite what Arrigo is like, his son is adorable," Lucia chimed in.

"Yeah, well, baby caiman are adorable, too," Yu huffed.

"No, they're not," Mei argued.

"Please, do not," Ileana begged them with a hand to her forehead. Those three simple words always halted any nonsense now. Mostly because no one was interested in finding out what would come after the simple request.

They went back to work for a while and then were disturbed by Arrigo of all people. The daijinn all let loose low grunts while Ileana just frowned. Their meetings were typically undisturbed, no matter where they held them, even out in the open garden as they were doing since fresh air seemed to keep the Queen pacified to a degree. No one ever bothered them, until now. Kwen smiled, as if he thought the very irritated monarch would behead her uncle right before them for daring to interrupt.

"I have come to present my son for all to see," Arrigo proclaimed in a strangely haughty voice, as if he had created the boy on his own.

The baby was dressed in royal silks and had his eyes shut. He was tiny and from the sour looks on Lucia and Miss Olga's faces, Ileana wondered if the baby was supposed to be traveling yet. He was only two days old, after all.

"Is he not a strapping young lad? Fit for the throne," Arrigo declared. "Perfectly healthy, ten fingers and toes. Wonderful set of lungs. Healthy complexion. He has a hint of the royal red tint," he continued. The tint he was speaking on was underneath their chocolate complexions all of Vincenzo's offspring had a hint of red that gave them a very rich hue.

"Now, let us hope he develops his mother's personality since his father's leaves much to be desired," Ileana snapped. All eyes went to her, as if they could not believe she was so blunt. But, then again, her pregnancy has changed quite a bit of her personality lately.

Arrigo's eyes narrowed. "Well, I should hope what you are carrying is at least human, but it is probably some monstrosity that will die within a few hours of clawing its way out of you," he countered.

Xol was about to be up in a flash, but Lucia managed to grab her. "He has a child in his arms," Lucia reminded the enraged Consort.

"Lucky," Xol hissed.

"There is nothing lucky about this man. He found the first woman willing to sleep with him to marry him and become pregnant all for the status and wealth, which he is currently losing faster than it takes to blink. You have lost nobles and Councilmembers willing to back up due to my pregnancy and the fact that the people hate you for the most part. You continue to fail at getting the humans against the daijinn as the economy continues to do well and they have taken the time to stop fighting to realize for the most part the country does do well when they work together," Ileana said.

Of course, it helped that during the last riot a month ago, Ileana threatened to deport any and all people involved in another public fight to the country's prison island and leave them there to rot for all eternity. Xol was not sure if that policy would be reversed even when Ileana was in a better mood. Hell, Xol was not sure if she wanted it to be reversed.

Ileana continued to dig into her uncle with cold brown eyes and an unwaveringly frozen voice. "Let us not forget that your businesses are failing thanks to the new laws. Your shipping company will soon have to be sold or you will lose a fortune. And that dirty lot that you claim is a vineyard could not make a sale if you put gold in the wine. And, I am more than aware that you are one false move from losing your title. Best of all, I am carrying the heir to the throne. So, that dream of yours is just a little further away, is it not?"

Arrigo's face was bright red with anger. But, he wisely beat a hasty retreat than stay and tried to exchange barbs with Ileana. The Queen's tongue was beyond a deadly weapon lately. Even Xol treaded lightly.

Of course, Arrigo did not go away so easily and soon talk around the palace was that Ileana was carrying a monster. No one was stupid or brave enough to say it to her face. They would all just have to wait and see.

-8-8-8-8-

It took a while, but by her thirty-fourth week, Ileana's reign of terror, as everyone referred to it, was over. Finally the smell of baking bread did not make her want to throw something, the sound of bare feet on tile did not make her want to break said feet, and it was safe to voice an opinion different from hers without feeling like she would have a person hanged for it. No one was quite sure how the country had lived through the month and a half of horror.

No one was quite sure what changed for the Queen; even Ileana was not sure. She was just calmer and more at peace with everything. Yes, she did miss her feet, but Xol assured her that they were fine and she massaged them daily for Ileana to know that. Every now and then, something very simple brought Ileana more enjoy than anything else could – she could feel the baby move. It was an odd sensation, but it reminded her that she and Xol were going to be parents in another month or two. A soft flutter easily stopped any tirade that Ileana was about to engage in.

"I want to feel the baby move," Xol whined as she pressed her hand to Ileana's massive stomach. She could not imagine her mate getting much bigger, but if she still had six weeks of pregnancy to go like a daijinn would, Ileana definitely would be bigger.

"Well, she is not moving now. She moves when you press your cheek to my stomach while you talk, though. I know she probably cannot hear you, but maybe she feels the vibrations from your voice and turns to find the source," Ileana said.

"Okay." Xol pressed her face to her mate's large belly. "Hey, little baby, you in there? It's me. Your other mom, I guess. Sounds a little weird. I hope you don't call me that when you're old enough to talk. Makes me sound like an extra. Anyway, we're out here waiting for you. You ready to come out and play?"

"Oh," Ileana muttered and flinched a bit. "She is rolling. Can you feel her?"

Xol pressed herself closer and the grin that lit up her face said it all. "Wow! She's moving!"

Ileana laughed and smiled, rubbing her wife's head. "Have you considered names? She could be here in a few weeks, after all." Xol was still too awed to answer and just shook her head. The Queen smiled more. "Well, I want you to name the baby, so you should come up with names."

"I can name the baby?" Xol said in shock, pointing to herself just to be sure. "But, I thought you'd name her since you carried her."

Ileana shook her head. "Nope. You get this privilege. I have found that this is a tradition shared between both Chuachinese and daijinn. The other parent names the child, so that they can share a special bond since the mother and baby will already have a special bond."

"Both Chuachinese and daijinn believe this?" Xol turned her mouth up.

"Well, the beliefs as to why it is done are different. Yan told me about the special bond while the Chuachinese do it to show that a father accepts the baby as a member of his family. It is an ancient gesture as now apparently there are ways for the alchemists to test if a baby belongs to the proclaimed father or not."

Xol nodded. "Well, this is my baby. Yours and mine. I don't need a test to tell me that, but I would be honored to name the baby and have a special bond. I'll think on some names. I'm not too sure how to go about this, though. How do you name someone you've never met?"

Ileana smiled softly. "Go with what feels right."

Xol nodded and it was clear that she was going to devote a lot of thought to the name from the determination in her golden eyes. For the moment, Xol turned her attention to their baby. There was no more movement, but Xol kept talking to the baby. Ileana smiled the whole time.

-8-8-8-8-

By the fortieth week, it was pretty clear that Ileana would more than likely be carrying the baby to a daijinn term since she was nine months in and the baby was not doing much. Ileana for the most part was back to normal and not scaring anyone … at least not with her words or glares anymore. Her size was a little frightening.

"Maybe it's twins," Mei proposed with a grin.

"It's probably just a daijinn. We've seen pregnant daijinn, after all. She's the right size for a pregnant daijinn," Yu argued. They were in Xol with Xol, who had been summoned by the shamans. The pair was walking behind the Chief, going over why the Queen was so big. They only talked about it when Ileana was not around because they did not want to chance offending her.

"Could you imagine if she had a cute little daijinn with those brown eyes? That would be beyond unique," Mei said with a smile.

"A little human with golden eyes would be just as unique. But, I guess no matter what the baby can't be a little human or a little daijinn. The baby is both of them, after all."

Mei nodded and Xol was saved from any more theories because they came to the shamans' home. Yu and Mei went inside with her, but they stopped speaking. The shamans were already sitting and motioned for Xol to do the same. They handed her a cup and handed them to Mei and Yu also.

"Sorry to drag you out here, little goddess. We know how you hate to leave your mate's side during these times," Ha said.

"She's probably happy to be rid of me for a few hours. Means I'm not plastered to her belly trying to get the baby to move. She hates moving," Xol replied with a delighted smile.

"Who? The Queen or the baby?" La asked curiously.

Xol smiled more. "Both."

"You are so happy, little goddess. It is a joy to see," Ha commented. "I'm glad we didn't steer you wrong with the ritual. We only called you as we wanted to know if the Queen was still wearing her charm."

"She is," Xol confirmed.

"And we would like to bless the baby at the naming ceremony," Ha continued.

Golden eyes went wide. "Naming ceremony?" she echoed in a baffled tone.

"Yes, the naming ceremony," Ha said.

"Okay, Ha, I've lived most of my life with humans, most saw me as a pet, and before living here, the most contact I had with daijinn usually involved them challenging me to a fight for control of the small tribe I had. If this one back here hasn't told me about it," Xol pointed to Mei. "Then most of the time I don't know what it is as far as … well, really the world goes."

Ha smiled kindly. "It is understandable. Mei, do you know of the naming ceremony?"

Mei shook her head. "Never heard of it. Maybe daijinn of the north don't practice it. I'm originally from the Northern Woods and I don't recall us ever having naming ceremonies. Unfortunately, I was also dragged from my home at a pretty young age. Of course, not as young as the Chief."

Briefly, there was silence while everyone thought about how young Xol must have been to have no recollection of her tribe at all. It was common knowledge that humans usually did not take daijinn as slaves at too young of an age because they were notoriously hard to train. No one was quite sure why, but daijinn children, typically under seven cycles, just never did what humans wanted them to do and never learned what humans wanted them to learn. They tended to just cry, whine, and cower. It was not clear if that was because of the huge communication gap, developmental differences, the fact that daijinn that young still depended on their parents for almost everything, or what, but daijinn children generally could not be trained. It was remarkable that Xol had actually done so.

"Well, a naming ceremony is given to every daijinn child three days after he or she is born. This is just when the child is officially named and introduced to the tribe. Usually the tribe isn't a huge city, so I can understand if you don't want to introduce a three-day-old baby to the world. But, there are some rituals involved and some prayers for the gods to bless the child in various ways. We'd like to do them for the heir," Ha explained.

"You know I have to ask Ileana about it. I'll send Yu with my answer whenever he makes it back here. He usually has business here every couple of days," Xol said.

Yu scoffed. "Couple of hours more like it," he muttered. Often he felt like the town's unofficial mayor, especially since the new chief that was voted in did not seem to know anything about business or maintaining a village. He hoped that the guy was voted out soon or that the Chief killed him since he was still trying to talk people into no longer associating with the humans. Luckily, less people were listening to him.

"He has business here now, actually," Mei remarked, smiling almost as if teasing him.

"Then we will not keep you. We only wanted to know about the naming ceremony. If we had known you were unaware of what it even is, we would've explained the last time we saw you," Lee said.

"It's fine. I've got business here, too. It's not like this was out of my way or anything," Xol assured them.

The shamans nodded and farewells were said. Xol took care of her business quickly, wanting to return to her mate. She left Mei and Yu in the town on their own. She found Ileana just as she left her that morning, hard at work at her desk. She set herself up behind the Queen, giving Ileana a much needed back massage. Ileana could not help hums of almost ecstasy escaping her lips as Xol kneaded her lower back.

"Everything well in the town of Xol?" Ileana asked.

"As well as can be expected. There are still some grumblings and all, but for the most part everyone seems to be doing fine. Many of the people who had problems with humans have found that humans aren't that bad. Now, whether its from actual contact or just our threats, I'm not sure," Xol answered.

"Honestly, I do not care which it is as long as everyone is getting along. Eventually, they will realize we work best when we work together and we are all a family. What did the shamans want?"

"Oh, they want to do a naming ceremony for the baby," Xol answered and one of her hands wandered to Ileana's belly. "Basically, they said it's a daijinn tradition and it makes the baby's name official and they do rituals to bless her."

"Would you like to do that?" Ileana asked curiously.

Xol nodded. "I want our child to be closer to her heritage as a daijinn than I am. I only really know stories and things because of Mei. Culturally, I'm probably way more human than I am daijinn, even if they do follow me and even if the Sun did bless me. I don't want that for our child."

"You do not want our child to be human?"

"No, don't misunderstand me, love. I know our baby is going to be half-human, but I want her to have an equal amount of daijinn culture as Chuachin culture. I want the baby to have both. I didn't have that. I want our child to have that. Please."

Ileana smiled and turned to her wife. "Beloved, you know you do not have to plead with me. I agree that our child should have both. The baby will be both, right?"

"Right."

"Then, she should know both. It is only fair, my love. So, we will have the naming ceremony … should she ever decide to come out," Ileana snorted, turning her eyes down to her enormous stomach. "I will start charging her rent should she stay a day pass forty-five weeks," the Queen vowed and Xol chuckled.

-8-8-8-8-

Two days before the forty-fifth week, Ileana went into labor. She knew what to expect and had been in labor for almost an hour before she actually sent for her doctors; she had work she needed to finish. She also had to cancel a Council meeting where they were supposed to decide if she would get all of the powers of the crown or not. They had put that off for the past couple of weeks, not wanting to make the decision until they found out if Ileana was actually carrying a monster. Well, it would soon be made clear since the baby finally decided it was time to come.

For once, Santo and Yan arrived annoyed with someone other than each other. Of course, that was short-lived once they got the Queen secure in the room predetermined to be the "birthing room," as everyone now called it.

"I brought herbs to help the labor go faster," Yan said as she went into her bag.

"We don't know what that stuff could do to a human. What's in it?" Santo demanded.

"I know what I can and cannot give a human. I have human patients," Yan reminded him for what seemed like the millionth time.

"They aren't the Queen, though. I can't let you do something potentially harmful to the Queen or to the heir."

"Could you two stop arguing and get this baby out of me!" Ileana screamed as her labor took a sharp turn and she found herself not longer able to handle the contractions. Xol held onto her hand, hoping to comfort her, but if the throbbing veins in her neck meant anything, it might have been wiser for Xol to just make a run for it.

The sound of the Queen's hollering gathered the doctors' attentions and they went to work for the most part. There was not much to do, though, as Ileana was not dilated enough and Santo was refusing to bend on any of the remedies that Yan wanted to try. It was not until Ileana's strained, sweating, tense face turned to them and demanded that they do something before she tore them both asunder with her bare hands that Santo finally yielded.

Celia had already mixed all of the remedies that Yan would need for the labor; most of which Yan had told the apothecary about months ago. Celia had also recommended those to midwives to use on their own patients before Yan even got to try them on the Queen. She had used them on her few other human patients, so she knew that it was fine. Plus, she also already made sure the Queen was not allergic to anything that she was going to try.

"I've never been a part of a labor that went so quickly," Santo muttered as Ileana began to dilate more. Of course, he had not been a part of many labors as that was usually left to midwives.

"That would be the purpose of the remedies. Sometime, they work well and other times … well, one is stuck waiting for thirty hours for a baby that just does not want to get out," Yan remarked before checking the Queen again. "But, I think the heir will not be much longer."

"Can I do something?" Xol asked, still holding her mate's hand.

"You're doing enough, little goddess," Yan assured her.

Xol did not feel like she was doing enough, especially when her mate was screaming in pain and crushing her hand. Xol grunted and held tough as she felt like Ileana was about to break her fingers. By the time little cries fill the room, Xol could not feel her fingers, but she did not care.

"Highnesses, you have a baby girl," Santo announced.

Xol tried to move closer to the baby without letting go of Ileana's hand, but she was unable to. Yan, thankfully, met her half way. Xol accepted the baby and then slid onto the bed, next to Ileana. The Queen was exhausted, but smiled the second that she saw their daughter.

"Ten fingers and toes?" Ileana asked.

Xol nodded. "And a healthy set of lungs," she added as the baby continued to cry.

While the child was covered in the sea of her birth, her proud parents could see that she had taken after Xol in complexion. She was a fair-skinned child with gently curved ears on the side of her head, like any human. Her eyes were closed as she cried, but a long black tail with a crimson tip thrashed as she wailed. There were wisps of ebony hair swirled on her head. On her forehead, she bore the sign of the moon, the same sign tattooed on Ileana's neck.

"She's beautiful," Xol whispered in awe of the child.

"She's perfect," Ileana decided with a tired smile.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: everyone else is introduced to the new heir.


	34. 33: Power struggle

33: Power struggle

Three days after the baby was born, Ileana and Xol called the shamans to the palace for them to conduct the naming ceremony. Two days after the daijinn naming ceremony, their little girl would be tested by the royal alchemist to prove that she was Xol's daughter. Then, two days after that their daughter would go through a Chuachinese formal acceptance rite to show that she was a member of Chuachinese society and the royal family. After that, the couple could have their little girl all to themselves … well, themselves and their closest family members.

The naming ceremony was held in the garden; if they were in a tribe, it would have been done in the woods. The baby was dressed in a deerskin dress with teal beads, one of many gifts from the town of Xol. Ileana held her close while Xol held Ileana close. They had a few guests outside of their immediate circle, but not many. A few loyal Councilmembers, like Councilwoman Julia were allowed in. A few daijinn had been invited, like Rai and Ro had been allowed to come. Ileana believed that she needed to put her jealousy of Ro behind her since Ro had helped and continued to help not just her community, but the country as a whole.

La, Ha, and Lee set up what they would need for the ceremony. Most of the things were hidden away in jars, so no one could see what they had. La lit two sticks of incense and began praying in the daijinn language. She waved the incenses in a circular motion around the baby and then the parents, who did not expect it, but did not flinch. La continued to pray and touched each of their foreheads with her thumb. The baby cooed as if La had hit a button to make her do so.

Lee stepped up, praying also. He held a cup of water and mixed it with a small container of sweet smelling oil. He then rubbed the water on the baby's face, causing her to squirm and fuss. Ileana held into her tightly and Lee was suddenly done.

Ha was last and her praying was much louder than her cohorts. From one jar, she poured more oil onto her hand and from another she poured what looked like ashes. They sparked when her hands rubbed together and the audience gasped. Ileana and Xol stood still, trusting the shaman. Ha's chants became louder still as her hands glided over the baby and it looked like flames came off of the child. The audience gasped again while the baby giggled. Ha could not help smiling as she washed her hands with another jar then dipped her finger in black paint. She traced over the baby's moon mark on her forehead and made the symbol for the child's right cheek. Everyone gasped again and they were awed when both symbols glowed. Even the shamans' eyes went wide from that display.

"Highness, Little goddess, you may present your child to everyone and tell them her name," Ha instructed them.

The grinning parents turned to everyone. "Thank you all for coming. We would like to meet our daughter, Xi Olga Bakunarius," Xol announced.

The audience cheered, even though Miss Olga seemed to have gone into shock. While she knew the baby's name was Xi, she had no idea that they would put her name into the heir's name as well. They wanted it to be a surprise for her. While Miss Olga had not been very kind to Xol until recently, she had looked out for Ileana through out her life and to Xol that mattered more than anything else in the world. Miss Olga deserved the honor as far as Xol was concerned.

Once the baby's name was announced, they had a small feast for their guests. Xi mostly slept through it, even though it was rather noisy. She showed signs of being deaf, like a daijinn child, even though she had human ears. Ileana was not worried about it; Yan told her that she should worry if it did not change within a month.

"Granddaughter," Lucia requested as she came up behind her daughter.

"She is asleep, Mother," Ileana informed Lucia as she passed the baby to her.

"It matters not to me. I must get her before Olga makes it through the crowd. Everyone wants to know what she did to warrant having the heir named after her. Thankfully, Viktor and the others are scared to hold her because she is so small. Fry was halted by the shamans, who insist that she go through the rites of the Elders," Lucia reported.

"Oh, dear God, how is she not screaming yet?" Ileana chuckled.

"I think she has come to accept the role thanks to Xi-Xi," Lucia remarked and she kissed the baby's unpainted cheek. Xi cooed and snuggled into her grandmother.

"Xi-Xi? I do not think you want her other mother hearing the nickname."

"Why? Xol should have seen that coming. Xi-Xi is too adorable to pass up."

"I called her that right after Xol named her and she swore I was insulting the moon god. Xi is the female equivalent to Xin to the daijinn. I am sure she will change her mind if we all start doing, though. I think Xi-Xi is adorable, too."

Lucia stepped away with the infant as Councilmembers came over to congratulate the Queen. Of course, the congratulations did not last long and immediately shifted to questions of Xi's paternity. Ileana sighed.

"She is Xol's child. The alchemist will be doing the tests to prove it in a few days. You may all direct questions toward him," Ileana told them.

That did not stop the string of questions. Ileana sighed, but remained where she was. She spotted her wife in a crowd of daijinn and noticed that they were all smiles and pats on the back for Xol. _If only the Council could be that way_.

-8-8-8-8-

Seven days into her life and Xi Bakunarius was taken into the city to visit the Great Temple. Guards had to escort the carriage because people were practically mauling each other with the hope of seeing the country's heir. Some just wanted to glimpse the child, others wanted to know if she was a monster as they had heard. But, the guards kept them so far away that when the royal family exited the couch, all they could tell was that Ileana was clutching a small bundle close to her chest.

The Temple was packed with Councilmembers and nobles on one side and important daijinn on the other. This ceremony was a little more public than the naming ceremony. Xol wished that it could have been just as private and personal as the other. Crowds still bothered her. She hoped that Xi grew up with Ileana's ability to handle large groups of people.

Xi stared around the temple with wide, curious hazel eyes that were sprinkled with gold. She had been blind upon birth, but that faded within a couple of days. The deafness was still persistent, though. Her parents supposed that was for the best since she might have the hearing of a daijinn and the din created by the throngs of people outside the Temple definitely would have hurt her delicate ears.

The acceptance rite was only slightly longer than the naming ceremony. The priest and priestess did much more praying than the shamans had done. They sprinkled Xi with flowers and leaves. Xi's forehead was anointed with oil and ash and the priest actually seemed to try to rub away the baby's moon mark.

"Uh … that's part of her skin," Xol whispered to the priest.

"Oh!" He flushed pink, quite embarrassed. "Forgive me."

The parents smiled it off, especially since Xi did not even seem to notice. Xi was way more interested in the stained glass mural across from them. She only paid the priest and priestess mind as they hung a large, but lightweight golden and teal charm.

"For the protection from any evil that should come your way. The God's blessing shall keep them away, so that you may grow into a strong leader and take your rightful place in Chuachinese society, so that your parents may look upon you with pride and love forever, and so that the God will know that you appreciate the life given to you and all those around you. Go in peace, live with love, and protect everything dear to you," the priestess announced while the priest waved both of his hands over Xi.

The crowd clapped, which was the only way that Ileana, Xol, and the other daijinn in attendance knew the ceremony was over. Xi took the time to play with the charm gracing her neck. Of course there was a feast to follow and Xi seemed to think that meant nibbling on the charm given to her.

"No, Xi-Xi. If you are hungry, I will feed you," Ileana told the baby as she pulled the disc-shaped ornament. Before Ileana could find some place quiet to fulfill that promise, the royal alchemist decided it was time for him to inform that masses that were there what Ileana already knew.

"Excuse me, I know we are all having a good time speaking and mingling and celebrating the birth of the Queen and her Consort's first child. I was given permission to make this announcement here since so many of people who had questions are here," the alchemist said in a booming voice. He was a big man with a heavy tone, easy to hear from a great distance. "I tested Xi two days ago and as incredible as it is, the Consort is most assuredly her other parent. Our monarchs have indeed been blessed by the God to have a child together. We have a true heir to the crown!" he shouted with a grin.

The crowd cheered, even though most of them already knew that. The shamans had conducted the test for the daijinn and reported that Xi was definitely the child of both Ileana and Xol. They told the town, but also sent word to all of the daijinn towns and villages in the country. Daijinn all over Chuachin knew by now that the monarchs had been blessed and many were actually heading toward the capital to see the child that looked like both the Queen and Chief.

Ileana and Xol did not stay too long at the feast. Ileana tired too easy to remain and she wanted to feed Xi in some peace and quiet. The coach on the way home would do well, so they left. There were people still gathered outside of the Temple, wanting to see the baby, wanting to know what was going on. Ileana was not in the mood to accommodate them, too exhausted with the day. So, she pressed Xi close and allowed Xol to lead her into the carriage.

-8-8-8-8-

Days past and Xi was finally showing signs that she could definitely hear what was going on. She especially liked tracking Xol whenever the small daijinn purred for her. Ileana and Xol had practically locked themselves in their apartments with their daughter. The only people that came in were Lucia, Olga, Fry, Viktor, Yu, Mei, and Kwen. It was a nice little bubble that they both knew would not, _could_ _not_ last.

"Look at your little fingers. You're still so tiny," Xol cooed, letting Xi grab her finger. The small family was on their rather large bed. They had an elegant and decorated basket inside the closed off bed for Xi to sleep in, not trusting her to be far away from them just yet. The bed was more than large enough to fit the legless bassinet and still comfortably accommodate the royal couple.

Ileana snorted. "Tiny indeed. You try carrying her for ten months and tell me how tiny she is," she remarked. And Xi was quite big for a baby her age, as far as humans were concerned anyway. Yan had had the nerve to remark on how "small" Xi was when she was born. Ileana was beyond surprised that she could push out a child that size.

Xol chuckled and then purred into Xi's belly, earning wild giggles from the baby. Ileana had to smile as she watched them. Xi twisted and turned as Xol continued purring. The baby wanted to see where the sound was coming from. Everything was well and good until a servant burst into the room.

"Highnesses, there is some kind of massive disturbance in the city and it's making its way to the Palace!" the servant reported.

Ileana sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I am so sending this whole city to prison for at least a year." She had decided a while ago to keep the law on prison time on the penal island for anyone caught involved or inciting a riot, but had lowered the sentence to a more respectable six months to a year rather than all eternity like before.

Xol snickered as she rose from the bed with the baby in her arms. She knew that Ileana would march out to meet the rabble, so she wanted to be by her side. Before she could do that, she had to find grandparents or uncles or the single aunt to leave Xi with. Oddly enough, they all seemed to be headed toward the front of the palace like Ileana.

"Okay, I'm trusting you all not to get too close to these crazy people when they show up and keep an eye on Xi," Xol said, slipping the baby into Miss Olga's arms.

"Are you sure you want her holding Xi? It'll be hard for her to swing a sword with the baby in her hand," Yu pointed out.

"I would not swing my sword with Xi in my arms. Are you insane?" Miss Olga huffed. "I would give her to Lucia first."

Whether it was a poor attempt at humor or the truth, no one asked and continued on their way. Everyone but Xol stopped at the palace front gates. Xol marched out to stand with Ileana, who was looking out as a sea of people drew closer to them. For a moment, it looked like a rebellion was on their hands, but the people halted a respectable distance.

"What business have you here?" Ileana demanded, voice carrying with deep authority.

"There is talk that your demon spouse has given you demon offspring. We demand to see it!" a voice carried as a man pushed his way to the front of the mob.

"Don't you dare call the little goddess anything less than divine! Her child is the same!" a daijinn hollered and then he turned his attention to the Queen. "We do find it hard to believe that a human had a daijinn child, though. Are these lies spread to keep us in line?"

"I have no time for lies. I find your method of inquiry beyond rude," Ileana stated with a scowl.

"I would calm yourselves if you know what's best for you," Xol snarled, loud enough for all to hear. Of course, it was probably the fact that she flared her whole body for a brief moment that got the crowd quiet.

"Demon!"

"How dare you call the woman that helped save this country in two wars a demon?" someone shouted.

It was clear already that the mob did not really have a common link beyond probably waiting to know if there really was an heir to the throne. Neither parent was too inclined to subject their daughter to a mob, though. They would have to wait and see how things played out.

"Bring out the devil child!"

"Is there even a child? You could have been in the city with a bag of flour for all we know!"

"How can you be our Queen if you can't even produce an heir to keep your line going?"

"You're going to make us the laughing stock of the world!"

"Just show us the heir! Prove that you're as great as everyone says!"

"My head hurts," Ileana whispered to Xol.

Xol nodded. "What's the point? What're they here for?"

"I think they want to see Xi, but they see so hostile about it," Ileana said and she glanced back to check on the baby. She got a chance to see that there was a crowd to the back of them, too. Not just their usual group, but servants, Councilmembers, diplomats, and many other people with business in the palace. Off to the side, she noticed Arrigo, who seemed to be smirking. Some of the mob was there thanks to his lies that she had been carrying a monster.

"People, what the hell do you want?" Xol called and Ileana pinched her. "Ow! What?"

"No swearing, especially not with Xi-Xi within earshot," Ileana ordered.

"Show us this supposed baby!"

That sounded like a threat to Xol. "Or else what? Do I look stupid enough to show my not even two week old daughter to crowd of crazy people?"

"As poorly as that was put, people, my beloved is correct. You cannot show up here as mob and demand to see the heir," Ileana informed them.

"Why don't you present her to us? Is it because she doesn't exist and you made this up! Everyone knows two females can't have a baby and everyone knows daijinn and humans can't have a baby!"

Ileana frowned, her patience gone. "You dare come to my home as an angry mob and make demands upon us in such a rude and malicious manner? Who do you think you are? I have never spoken down to you in such a manner. I have treated everyone in this country as fairly as possible. My wife has put her life on the line for this country more times than any of you, I would wager. Again, all we want is for the best and you dare come to our home as if you plan to burn us out of the place! We will show you nothing until you return to your senses! You may meet our daughter when she wills it if you cannot control yourselves! You may meet her when she is Queen!"

Of course, there was a chance that Xi would not be Queen since Ileana still had not met with the Council to find out if she would still be Queen. She could only wonder what the delay was with Council now. Arrigo was probably involved, Ileana figured.

"Come, beloved. We do not owe this angry mob anything," Ileana said, turning to leave.

"Wait! We are not all here to behave like animals! We want to see the princess!"

Ileana looked down at Xol. "What do you wish to do?"

"We need to do this with some order. I understand how some of these people aren't here with wicked intentions and they shouldn't be punished because idiots showed up with them," Xol reasoned.

Ileana agreed. "Then we will do this with order."

The Queen decided that she would present Xi to the people and force the Council into making a decision by arranging the presentation to be at the Gathering Hall. They would be able to keep Xi high above people and thus safe should the crowd because a mob and the Hall would be able to hold a large group of people. After that, Ileana could simply jump right on the Council to make a decision already.

Arrigo frowned as Ileana made the announcement and then ordered the crowd to disperse. She was sure it truly upset her uncle to see the people follow her orders. Ileana and Xol then went back to their daughter.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol's ears twitched as she listened to the crowd gathering in the open court below the hall that Ileana decided to hold the affair in. The Council was filing in, taking seats. Ileana was holding Xi close as she watched Arrigo and Riccardo enter. Arrigo seemed unusually tense and heated, glaring at Ileana in an openly hostile manner. She suspected he was upset that another of his schemes was coming undone, but she held the baby just a little bit closer. Xol actually growled at him, showing off elongated canine teeth.

"Shall we begin?" Ileana asked as she passed the baby to her wife.

Xol looked around. "Everyone's here," she said, looking at the Council. She then cast a glance at their usual group who just showed up for added protection of Xi. The shamans decided to stand with the masses as did the royal alchemist. Yan and Santo were there also, looking to say a few words.

"Good." Ileana nodded and then she went to stand by the decorated, hand carved guardrail to address the people gathered below. "Good afternoon, citizens of Chuachin. I hope this day finds you well. I wish you to forgive me and my wife's disregard toward your curiosity involving our child. It did not occur to us that she would be such an important figure to anyone beyond the two of us just yet. As first-time parents, we have been enamored with her long before she was born, but it did not occur to us that everyone would want to meet her so soon. She is quite the dear, a darling little treasure."

Xol stepped over with Xi in her arms. She hugged the baby for no reason and then eased her into Ileana's arms. Xol then stayed with her family, but her ears moved in every direction they could to keep aware of everything around them.

"Citizens of Chuachin, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Princess Xi Bakunarius," Ileana said, holding her daughter high enough for people to see. Xi gazed down at the crowd and giggled. She then waved and got a flood of "aww"s.

"How is it possible?" someone called.

"This is one thing that must be taken on faith. The gods willed it and it was so. Of course, our favorite royals had to do their part," Ha remarked.

"We have tests and witnesses of the tests to prove that Xi is the blood of both the Queen and the Consort," the royal alchemist proclaimed.

"Can you do the tests again in front of everyone?"

The alchemist rolled his eyes. "It takes hours and I need the proper equipment. It is not something that one can just snap your fingers and do. Plus, it requires drawing blood. If the Queen and Consort will it, I will show whoever would stay in my lab for hours to see. It is not a difficult process, just long."

Eyes drifted back up to the Queen. Ileana groaned, even though she knew that she should have expected as much. She looked over at Xol.

"Not now. A few months from now when Xi's older," Xol said.

Ileana nodded. "We will do this when Xi is a few months older. The idea of drawing blood from her again is somewhat off putting. Not to mention, she does not seem to like giving blood. She screams, squirms, and kicks."

"In other words, she behaves like a baby," a woman remarked in the audience.

"This is just a dodge!" Arrigo snarled as he climbed to his feet. "Don't you people see? They are going to set things up and lie about the results! It is impossible for two women to have a baby and more so it is impossible for a human and a dog to have a child! How the hell could you people be so stupid as to buy this foolishness? They paid off the alchemist and doctors and witnesses and the damned jinn are liars!" he screamed as he paced heatedly along the tile.

The outburst was a bit shocking. Ileana held Xi closer and Xol went between Arrigo and her family. He glared at them all and Xol bared her teeth at him. The tension seemed to pop between them before Arrigo turned away, scowling at the wall. Ileana watched him for a moment before turning her attention back to the crowd.

"My people, it is up to you on what you wish to believe. I can only offer you my word and the word of my love beyond the science of alchemy and the ancient knowledge of the shamans. If you cannot trust in all of those things, I have nothing left to give," Ileana stated.

"I think at this point, we all owe it to the Queen and Consort to trust in her," Councilwoman Julia said, standing to be seen by the people below. "They have both done more good for this country than we could list in a day and they have never done us any harm. They have no reason to lie about Xi and most of the Council has seen the tests as well as results. The royal alchemist, Doctor Diego, explains everything well and walks you through the process so clearly. The shamans do the same. If you cannot believe in science, then as the Queen said, there is nothing left for you. The science is sound and some of you men have used the process before, so you know how reliable it is."

"And while we tell the country to trust me and Xol and believe in us, I now ask the same of the Council," Ileana said as she turned her attention to them.

"Highness?" a Councilman said as if he was totally baffled as to what she meant.

"I ask the Council to give me and Xol all the powers of the Crown. You have put this off long enough. We are either hired for the job or fired. It is not that difficult," Ileana pointed out.

"You cannot be serious about giving a foreigner and an animal the crown!" Arrigo hollered, fired up again as he saw all of his plans crumbling in the same minute. "How can you trust either of them with this country!"

"It has already been decided. The majority of the Council felt the need to give you the powers days ago, but we thought that you wished to enjoy time with your family before we called the meeting," a Councilman said.

"You can't do that! This was my destiny! Mine! I was groomed for this and I am the one with a human son!" Arrigo roared and made his final mistake – lunging for Ileana, who still had Xi in her arms.

Xol hit Arrigo so fast no one even saw her move. They slid while remaining on their feet and Arrigo's back smashed into a column. He grunted, but did not back down.

"You see this dog even attacked me!" Arrigo screamed as he punched Xol in the side.

"If I attacked you, you'd be dead by now!" Xol proclaimed as she shoved him even harder.

Arrigo grunted again as his back impacted the column, cracking it. Riccardo actually called in guards, but he ordered them to pull Xol off of Arrigo, which was not an order they followed. Arrigo went to save himself, pulling a dagger out of his sleeve and stabbing Xol in the gut. Xol hissed and backhanded him against the rail as her blood painted the floor.

"Xol!" Ileana cried.

"Stay back!" Xol commanded her mate, pointing at the Queen. Her eyes never left Arrigo, though.

"I'm sick of this nonsense! I'll set everything right!" Arrigo turned his attention to Ileana and started toward her and Xi. He barely made it a step, though.

Xol launched herself at Arrigo, fully ignited. They slammed through the stone railing and plummeted to the floor below. The sickening sound of bones crunching followed the loud thud of their impact. Xol's flames faded seconds after they hit the ground and neither of them moved.

"Xol!" Ileana screamed as she stared down at her beloved's motionless form.

-8-8-8-8-

Xol groaned from her space in bed. The noise caught her mate's attention and within moments Ileana was hovering over Xol. She looked like a chocolate blur to Xol.

"How are you feeling, love?" Ileana asked quietly.

"Everything hurts. What happened?" Xol inquired.

"You knocked yourself out cold when you tackled Arrigo from the conference hall to the open lobby below. I am sure it does not help that Arrigo stabbed you."

Xol groaned. "Remind me to next time just hit him with my fire."

"You did. You dived at him with your whole body ablaze. He was lucky to survive."

"Damn straight he's lucky. I remember him pointing a knife at you and Xi. I should've bitten him in the throat on the way down," the shorter female proclaimed. "How long have I been out?"

"Days. Three to be precise. Arrigo is still out. You used him to break your fall, although I doubt that was by design."

Xol could not argue that. She could not remember anything beyond feeling totally outraged from Arrigo threatening her mate and child. He failed. She had stopped him. She wondered what her mate had done after they were knocked out.

"Where is Arrigo now?" Xol asked.

Ileana moved onto the bed and moved close to her spouse. "His apartments for now. As soon as he is safe to move, he will be going into exile on one of our islands to the west. I do not want him near Massimo, so they cannot plot anything together. His wife can decide if she wishes to go with him or not."

"Why would you give her the choice?"

Ileana smiled. "Because I know she will not go, but if given the choice, my uncle gets to see that she is the one abandoning him. She will go back to her father's county more than likely. She was only with Arrigo for the status and he threw that away at the Council meeting."

"And her son? He could be a problem in the future, right?"

Ileana shrugged. "Everyone can be a problem in the future. I will not hold Arrigo's sins against his son."

Xol nodded. "Speaking of offspring, where's the baby? I think Xi would help me feel better."

Ileana smiled and rushed off to get their daughter. When she returned, she carefully laid Xi down on Xol's chest. She snuggled up to Xol's side. Their little family fell asleep in those positions with small, pleased smiles on all of their faces. Tomorrow might end up just as crazy as the days before it or just as busy, but for the moment, all they had and needed were each other. For the moment, despite Xol's injuries, everything was perfect.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the epilogue.


	35. Epilogue: The future

Epilogue: The future

Childish laughter echoed through the palace halls along with the patter of tiny sandals on the tile. A blur of teal silk went by and was followed closely by a smaller blur of red silk. The blurs halted and yelped as they ran into an unexpected roadblock. Xol had been trying to cross the hall until the two bundles of energy ran into her.

"Ow! Yaya, you made me ow!" a four-year-old Xi complained as she rubbed her forehead. To a passerby, it probably looked like she was trying to wipe away her moon mark.

"Oh, sorry, my little kit," Xol cooed. She was not sure why she used the term "kit" for her daughter, but it somehow felt right. It gave her a sense of connection to something beyond her that she did not comprehend, but wanted to keep that connection. "Yaya didn't see you." She leaned down to pick her daughter up and Xi's long tail swayed merrily. Xi addressed her as "yaya" which was just the daijinn word for "parent." For Xol that was much better than ending up as "father" or any variation of the term.

"Boss made me ow, too!" Xi's constant companion, Yun, whined.

"Oh, sorry, Yun," Xol apologized and she picked the daijinn toddler up.

Yun was three years old, or three cycles as daijinn called it. He belonged to Yu and Mei, who had finally decided to make their relationship official a few years ago. Xol suspected that Yu stepped up once he saw how infatuated Mei was with Xi. They started making more time for each other to reconnect and before anyone knew it, Mei was carrying their son.

Yun had wide orange eyes that caused his mother to give into his every demand. His brown and blond hair fell into cute little curls that sometime blocked his eyes and hide his small brown ears. His bushy mocha tail swung just as happily as his friend's as the Chief held him.

"Now, what were you two chipmunks running from?" Xol asked curiously.

"Nana is chasing us!" Xi reported with a wide, amused grin.

Xol sighed. "You two are going to give Nana a heart attack," she muttered and then she could hear the approaching, hurried but controlled footsteps of their nana.

"Xol, do you have those two hardheaded children?" Miss Olga inquired as she rounded the corner. "I swear this is like you and Ileana all over again. I turn my head for a second and they are diving out of windows or trying to swim in the fountain!" Miss Olga threw her hands up.

"Nana never lets us to do the fun stuff," Xi whispered to her mother.

"Nana was trying to read you a story before you nap, but you two blew that," Xol informed them.

"Nap? Wait, but I wan' a story!" Yun said.

"If you wanted the story, you shouldn't have run from Nana," Xol replied.

"But, Xi said it would be fun! I wan' a story!" Yun repeated.

"I don't wanna take a nap, Yaya. I wanna go see Granny and the bunnies!" Xi requested.

"After your nap," Xol promised and then she turned her attention back to Miss Olga. "I'll go put them to bed. I know you have work to do."

Miss Olga nodded and then she leaned down to look both children in their faces. "We are not done with that story. I will read the whole thing and you will enjoy it. Am I understood?" she said in a voice that even made Xol quiver a little. Yun and Xi gulped.

"Yes, Nana," both children replied.

Miss Olga laughed. "Good. Have good naps. I will see you two later." She then leaned forward and kissed both of their foreheads. The children giggled while Xol shook her head. She could not believe how Miss Olga acted toward both children; both of whom she considered her grandchildren. Xol was happy that Miss Olga was so affectionate with them, making sure neither felt less loved than the other.

Xol carried the children away, taking them to Xi's room. Xi only recently got her own bedroom and it was only used for naps. Xi refused to sleep in a huge, dark room alone, ever. Her bed was large enough for her and Yun to fit in it with no problem and not even touch each other when they were rolling around in the bed. And, boy, did they roll. Yun sometimes fell out of the bed, which was quite a feat because there was only one opening since the bed was designed like every other bed in the palace, against the wall with curtains to block out light and there was guardrails around the whole thing except for opening. Xi seemed to be the type that used whatever space was given to her. In her own bed, she moved miles, but when she was sleeping with her mothers, she hardly moved inches.

"Yaya, we get to see Granny and the bunnies when we wake up, right?" Xi asked just to be sure.

"Yes, I will take you both to go see Granny and the bunnies," Xol promised.

Both children smiled and they were sleep in a matter of seconds. Xi and Yun only seemed to have two speeds – zoom and stop. They were either moving at full speed or not at all. The adults in their lives could deal with it as they were going with the "it takes a village" approach to child rearing. Someone was always willing to watch the pair and when that person ran out of energy, the person could simply slid the duo to the next person in their little circle.

The two napped for about an hour. They had a quick snack and Xol took them to be with their granny. Fry still took care of the rabbits and other small, furry creatures that the palace used as a food source and also a little business. Sometimes, they used extra meat to help feed the poor; the poor often got free bread and meat from the Crown.

"Got 'em, Elder?" Xol asked with a teasing smile.

Fry put her head up. " _You keep it up and I'll box your ears! You leave me and my grandbabies alone!_ "

Xol laughed, but she did as she was ordered. Fry enjoyed her time with her grandchildren. Xi and Yun loved visiting with their Granny because she had all of the soft, cuddly animals. They treated her pens like their own personal petting zoos. Of course, what was heaven for them was never fun for whoever got them after they spent time with their Granny. The person after Fry always had to bathe the pair before doing anything else with them.

"Of course they would be here when I have a free moment," Lucia muttered as she approached the holding pens.

"Grandma!" the pair cheered as soon as they noticed Lucia.

"You come take them off my hands?" Fry teased.

"I was coming to see if they wanted to accompany me into town for a puppet show, but I have to bathe them first apparently," Lucia pretended to grumble.

"Show!" the two children howled.

"It works. I have work to do now," Fry said. As much as she would have loved to keep their grandchildren entertained, she did have a few things that she needed to do before dinnertime.

Lucia took charge of the pair, who hugged their granny bye. The children were cleaned and redressed. They went into the town for a puppet show and were joined by Yu. Yun practically threw himself at his father, clinging to the much taller daijinn for dear life. Yu and Lucia smiled at each other, but said nothing to avoid disturbing the show.

Yu had settled into a planning and a fiscal position for the government, mostly working with the daijinn towns and villages around the country to keep them comfortable with the human method of business. He had actually been the chief of the town of Xol a couple of years ago, but was quickly voted out after he found someone better suited to the job. Ro was his replacement and continued to be chief of the town. It was doing very well with her in charge and she appeared quite pleased with her role in the country. He was happy for her and happy for himself because he got more time with his family when he did not have to worry about being in Xol every day.

His official and state-recognized mate, Mei, still carried on the main assistant to the Queen and Consort. He and Mei had married according to the daijinn tradition, but Ileana had acted to make that an officially accepted form of marriage as soon as she was able to with the full authority of the Crown. Mei had even helped draft the proposal. She continued to take her job extremely serious, which was good since she was typically the last stop between anyone and the most important couple in the country.

"That was awesome!" Xi grinned as the show ended.

"Way awesome!" Yun agreed.

"Who keeps saying awesome around them?" Lucia wondered aloud.

"Yiyi," Yun answered honestly. "Yiyi" was the daijinn word for "mom."

"Of course," Yu sighed. "She probably only does it because they copy her, too."

Lucia nodded in agreement. They started on their way back to the palace, grabbing treats for the children along the way. By the time they got back to their home, it was almost dinnertime. Lucia and Yu decided to go pick up a few people that they knew would still be working instead of going toward the dining hall.

"Yiyi!" Yun cheered as he pushed out of his father's arms to leap into his mother's embrace.

Mei hugged her son tightly. "How is my brave warrior? You been good for your Ibo and your grandma?" she asked.

"Is he ever anything but good with his Ibo?" Yu remarked with a smirk.

"Hush you. He's no better with you than he is with me," Mei teased and she leaned in for a brief kiss from him. She then rubbed Xi's head. "How are you doing, little one?"

"I'm not little, Auntie!" Xi argued. "I'm bigger than Yun!" she pointed out, which was true. It was surprising that she was, but they suspected that she might be as tall as the average daijinn, which meant that she would be taller than both of her mothers.

"That you are, but you are not bigger than I am," Mei countered. The logic of the statement caused Xi to pout. Mei's heart broke. "Don't make that face, little one. If you stop making that face, I'll let you in the office to your momma and your yaya."

"Yay!" Xi cheered and the pout vanished forever … or until the next time she lost an argument.

"They both better be in there now that you put it out there," Lucia told Mei.

"They are," Mei vowed.

Lucia walked to the office doors with Xi and knocked before entering; it was just something that everyone did whenever they both were in the office. Ileana beckoned them inside and Xi charged in as soon as the door was open. Ileana's face lit up as soon as she saw her daughter.

"Momma! Momma! Guess what I did with Grandma and Uncle Yu!" Xi begged, throwing herself into Xol's arms instead of Ileana's. Xi had been told that she could no longer fling herself at her momma because her momma was carrying her new sibling.

Ileana was pregnant again; again with Xol's baby after two months of the Moon ritual. She was over thirty weeks and much more pleasant than when she was pregnant with Xi. The new baby proved a bit more active than Xi had been moving much more, but not the degree that Ileana had heard of with full human babies.

Xol passed Xi to Ileana, so that the Queen could hold her … if only for a few seconds. Xi was a heavy child and Ileana's back was not strong enough for Xi and the baby that she was carrying. Ileana kissed her daughter's chubby cheek.

"How was your day?" Ileana asked.

"It was great! First, Yaya played with me this morning and we wrestled with Shei and I won," that report earned Xol a short glare from her wife that Xi did not notice as she barreled on through her day. "And then Yun showed up and we went with Nana and Nana helped us write and then Nana read us a story and it was good, but then I wanted to run, so we ran! And we ran long until we hit Yaya and Yaya gave us a nap and then we got cookies and then we saw Granny and Granny's animals and we chased the rabbits and hugged them and then we hugged everything! And then Grandma came and gave us a good bath and made us feel nice and put the good clothes on us to go to see the puppets! And we saw the puppets and they made us laugh and then Uncle Yu came and then we left and we had caramel apples and then we came saw Auntie Mei and then we saw you and you asked how my day was and I told you!" Xi reported in almost a single breath.

Xol's head was spinning from the explanation and she could only guess how Xi would be as a teenager with that memory and that mouth. Ileana laughed and cooed over how busy their baby was. She then passed Xi back to Xol.

"It is dinnertime, so we should get to the dining hall," Lucia told them.

Ileana and Xol nodded in agreement and they all left for dinner. They settled into their usual place in the dining hall. There were a couple of key figures no longer there, though. Kwen had not dined with them in months because he was on the west coast, helping to build a sister city for the town of Xol next to the west's busiest city of Ryuon Ro. The new daijinn town was going to be called Xin and they had hope that it would grow as rapidly as Xol seemed to. He wrote them often with good and bad news, more good than bad, and he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the work.

The other notable absence was Riccardo. The last of Vincenzo's sons had decided to give up and concede the throne to Ileana and Xol. He retired to his father's villa and often fished with him. Vincenzo wrote to Lucia expressing his happiness of getting to bond with one of his sons, even if it was so late in his life.

"Hi, Uncle Viktor," Xi grinned as she waved to her uncle, who sat down next to her.

Viktor then asked how Xi's day was with a cheeky grin on his face, knowing everybody probably already heard the story a dozen times because Xi liked to talk. He also asked Yun, who ran off the same information as soon as Xi was done. Viktor laughed and congratulated both children, as if they had done something noteworthy, which they just ate up.

"When will you have one of those, dear boy?" Lucia asked with a smile. She was quite curious as to when her son would look into starting a family. Of course, he was not very old, only twenty-two.

"I am working on it, Momma. Give me time," Viktor replied, playfully waving his mother off. He had met several women in his life, but no one caught his attention enough to start a family with so far. He knew that he had plenty of time, especially if Ileana and Xol kept providing grandchildren, so that his mother, Miss Olga, and Fry had their hands full.

"In the meantime, you two should be working on a second. You need to keep up with those two," Miss Olga was speaking with Mei and Yu, but she motioned to Xol and Ileana so it was clear who "those two" were.

Mei rolled her eyes. "I get the feeling not many will be able to keep up with those two."

Ileana and Xol just smiled. In all honesty, they were not sure how many children they wanted, but they doubted that two would be enough. Xol had agreed that whenever Ileana wanted to stop they would because Ileana was the one that would be carrying the children. Ileana had told Xol that they would stop when her body could not handle it anymore or they had so many children it was driving them crazy. Xol was sure that the latter bit was a joke.

After dinner, everyone broke apart for some evening relaxing before they went to bed. This was Ileana and Xol's time with their daughter. They played games, read stories to Xi, who liked trying to read too, sing songs, and tried out dozens of little hobbies. After a couple of hours, they would bathe and then settle in for bed. Xi decided that night to sleep on Xol's side, which put Xol in the middle, but sometimes Xi would leave Ileana in the middle or take the middle herself.

"Goodnight, Momma. Good night, Yaya," Xi yawned.

"Goodnight, baby," Ileana said, reaching over to rub Xi's shoulder.

"Goodnight, little kit," Xol said, protectively putting her arm around Xi, causing the child to snuggle closer to her. Her other arm had the same affect on Ileana. The Queen and child fell asleep within seconds of each other and Xol just watched their dozing faces. She smiled in the dark. "Thank you, Sun goddess, for giving me the strength to hold them close. Thank you, Moon god, for giving them to me. And, thank you, Chuachin god, for sharing Ileana with the Moon. I will never squander these gifts. I promise to cherish them forever and always. And, wherever the family of that little girl who died so many years ago is, I hope they can see that their legacy of love lives on in some way. And it will live on, through my mate and me, through our children, and hopefully, they will have children of their own."

Xol settled, leaning over to kiss Ileana's cheek and then doing the same to Xi. She caressed Ileana's swollen belly and smiled. For someone who had once lost everything, she had gained everything and more. She would be eternally grateful and cherish everything for just as long. She hoped to pass that appreciation for love and life to her children. She also hoped to make sure her children and her mate always knew that she held nothing but love for them. They were her life. They had given her life.

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna see more of my fanfics, they're all at FFN under [StarvingLunatic](https://www.fanfiction.net/~starvinglunatic). Come say hi to me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SL-Kassidy-482097488469386/). You can get news about this and other stories. I’m also on Tumblr: [Slunatic](https://slunatic.tumblr.com/)


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